Orange alert issued for Kakinada, Konaseema and Yanam as thunderstorms approach

The Cyclone Warning Centre in Visakhapatnam has issued an orange alert for Kakinada, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema and Yanam districts, warning of moderate thunderstorms with lightning, gusty winds of 40-50 kmph and moderate rain at one or two places over the next few hours. The orange alert comes after a yellow alert earlier in the day that covered eleven districts – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, West Godavari, Krishna, Bapatla, Prakasam, Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore, Chittoor, Tirupati, Annamayya, YSR Kadapa and Sri Sathya Sai – and forecast light thunderstorms, lightning, gusts of 30-40 kmph and light rain at a few spots. A weather update at 5.30 a.m. said an upper‑air cyclonic circulation over the North Andaman Sea had moved west‑northwest and now sits over the sea off the Andaman Islands. The centre said this system makes the formation of a low‑pressure area very likely over the southeast and east‑central Bay of Bengal around October 23, after which it could move west‑northwest and intensify further. The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority warned that heavy rain could hit coastal Andhra Pradesh next week and urged people to stay alert and follow official updates.

Context

Orange alerts are issued when weather conditions pose a moderate threat to life and property, while yellow alerts indicate a lower level of risk. The low‑pressure area mentioned is a typical precursor to tropical disturbances that can bring heavier rain to the east coast.