The city is set for a cloudy and cooler Thursday as the weakened remnants of Cyclone Arnab move northwards over land. The storm completed landfall this morning between 2 am and 8 am along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts, with sustained winds of 125 to 135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph. By 8:30 am, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) downgraded it from a very severe cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm. After landfall, the system is expected to move northwards and northeastwards, bringing rain to Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, eastern Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh before gradually weakening further.

 

For Bhopal, the threat is now from its weakened remnants, not the cyclone itself, which is why the city is forecast for scattered showers and possible thunderstorms, not very heavy rain. Jabalpur will remain largely overcast through the day. Some predictions put the chance of rain as likely during the day, so residents are advised to carry an umbrella and avoid open fields, trees and metal structures during lightning. The afternoon is most likely to see rain showers. Karva Chauth that falls on Thursday, October 29 this year will see a late moonrise in Bhopal at around 8:26 pm. However, IMD says cloudy skies are likely over the region so moon sighting may be delayed further. The weather is likely to remain unsettled on October 30 and 31 as well. Residents are advised to follow the latest IMD bulletins.