Cyclone Fani: Here's the forecast for what's going to happen in West Bengal in the next 12 hours

On Friday, May 3, Cyclone Fani made landfall in Odisha's Puri. Termed as one of the worst cyclones in India in last 20 years, India Meteorological Department is issuing hourly bulletins to keep the people updated about the cyclone. While there has been rainfall and storm in West Bengal's capital Kolkata during the day, it might hit the state at night.

The press release by India Meteorological Department at 12:00 hours on May 3 says that at 11:30 hours the cyclone lay centered over coastal Odisha about 10 km east and 30 km south of Bhubaneswar. It further informed that the current wind speed of the Cyclone is 150-160 kmph gusting to 175 kmph. Bhubaneswar airport reported maximum sustained wind speed of 92 kmph gusting to 130 kmph.

The forecast for West Bengal says: "Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy falls at isolated places very likely over coastal and adjoining districts of West Bengal on May 3; and heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over Gangetic West Bengal on May 4. Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy falls at isolated places over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on May 4."

Due to the land interaction, now the intensity of Cyclone Fani would eventually keepweakening because the moisture feed from the sea has now reduced drastically. This system is expected to keep moving in northeast direction along the coastal districts of Odisha. Now, it has weakened into a Very Severe Cyclone storm. By evening, it would reach Gangetic West Bengal as a Severe Cyclone Storm, with wind speed of around 80-90 kmph, gusting to 100 kmph.

It has already started raining heavily in South Bengal. Places like Digha, Diamond Harbour and Kolkata are already under the influence of storm Fani. The wind speed at present is 25 kmph.

Places like Bankura, Purulia, Jhargaon, Midnapore, Hugli, Howrah, Kolkata and 24 Parganas will be the majorly affected districts in West Bengal in wake of Cyclone Fani.

Here is the weather forecast of West Bengal in the next 24 hours on hourly basis, as per IMD:

On Friday: Thunderstorm likely to hit the state while the Cyclone Fani weakens

From 3 PM to 4 PM:  Thunderstorm, while the cyclone moves north-northeastwards and is likely to weaken further into a severe cyclonic storm, the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards, and the temperature is likely to remain 26 degree

From 4 PM to 5 PM:  Cloudy weather, the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards and the temperature is likely to remain 27 degree

From 5 PM to 6 PM: Thunderstorm, while the cyclone moves north-northeastwards and is likely to weaken further into a severe cyclonic storm, the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards, and the temperature is likely to remain 26 degree

From 6 PM to 7 PM:  Thunderstorm, while the cyclone moves north-northeastwards and is likely to weaken further into a severe cyclonic storm, the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards, and the temperature is likely to remain 31 degree

From 7 PM to 8 PM:  Cloudy weather, the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards and the temperature is likely to remain 27 degree

From 8 PM to 9 PM:  Cloudy weather, the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards and the temperature is likely to remain 27 degree

From 9 PM to 10 PM:  Cloudy weather, the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards and the temperature is likely to remain 27 degree

From 10 PM to 11 PM:  Thunderstorm, while the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards, and the temperature is likely to remain 29 degree

From 11 PM to 12 AM: Cloudy weather, the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards and the temperature is likely to remain 27 degree

From 12 AM to 1 AM:  Cloudy weather, the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards and the temperature is likely to remain 27 degree

From 1 AM to 2 AM:  Cloudy weather, the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards and the temperature is likely to remain 27 degree

From 2 AM to 3 AM:   Thunderstorm, while the windspeed is likely to be 7 km per hour eastwards, and the temperature is likely to remain 27 degree