Cyclone Shakti Live Updates: Storm Moves West-Southwest In Arabian Sea, IMD Forecasts Weakening After Oct 6

According to IMD, the system is expected to continue moving west-southwest and reach the northwest and adjoining west-central Arabian Sea by October 5. From the morning of October 6, it is likely to change course towards the east-northeast and gradually lose strength.

The IMD posted on X that Severe Cyclonic Storm Shakhti over the northwest Arabian Sea has been moving west-southwest at a speed of 15 kmph over the past six hours. As of 8:30 PM on October 4, it was centred near latitude 21.5°N and longitude 63.0°E, approximately 340 km east-southeast of Ras Al Hadd in Oman.

Due to the impact of the cyclonic storm, sea conditions are expected to remain rough to very rough along and off the Gujarat and north Maharashtra coasts, as well as the Pakistan coast, until Sunday.

Amid rough sea conditions, the weather department has advised fishermen to avoid venturing into the northwest, northeast, and central Arabian Sea, as well as the Gujarat and north Maharashtra coasts, until Tuesday, according to a PTI report.

Ahead of the cyclone warning, three members of a family lost their lives after drowning in the Arabian Sea in Sindhudurg on Friday. According to police, the victims were swept away after underestimating the depth of the water.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rain alert for several districts across Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, as a cyclonic circulation is likely to trigger moderate to heavy showers on Saturday.

According to the forecast, districts such as Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Perambalur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Pudukkottai, Kallakurichi, Salem, and Tiruvannamalai may receive intense rainfall.

The Met department has cautioned that sea conditions will remain rough to very rough along and off the Gujarat and north Maharashtra coasts, as well as the Pakistan coast, until Sunday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has revised its earlier forecast for Mumbai and nearby districts in the context of Cyclone Shakti. On Saturday, the IMD clarified that the city is unlikely to experience heavy or moderate rain over the next few days. Instead, light drizzles and scattered showers may continue until October 8. Thane and Raigad are expected to see similar conditions, while Palghar may witness heavy rain on October 8. Officials explained that the cyclone remains too far from the coast to affect Mumbai significantly. This update contrasts with earlier warnings of severe rain and winds.

IMD officials earlier cautioned that wind speeds from Cyclone Shakti may rise further as the storm strengthens. The system has already generated rough sea conditions, with winds touching 100 kmph.

Abhimanyu Chauhan of IMD Ahmedabad said Cyclone Shakti is expected to recurve on the morning of October 6 and move east-northeast. He clarified that Gujarat will face only minimal impact. However, on October 8, heavy rain is likely in Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Daman and Dadra Nagar Haveli.

The India Meteorological Department has issued an alert for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. It said winds of 45–55 kmph are expected along the North Maharashtra coast between October 3 and 7.

By Saturday morning, Cyclone ‘Shakti’ had strengthened into a severe cyclonic storm and advanced deeper into the Arabian Sea. The weather department reported that its centre was positioned around 420 km from Dwarka in Gujarat.

Cyclone Shakti formed over the Arabian Sea as warm waters above 27 degrees Celsius heated the air, causing it to rise and create low pressure. The Earth’s rotation gave the system its spin, while weak wind conditions helped it stay organised. With steady outflow high in the atmosphere, the storm grew into a Severe Cyclonic Storm.

Cyclone Shakti has been named under the system set by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones. The name, suggested by Sri Lanka, stands for power and resilience. Cyclone names are chosen from lists submitted by 13 member nations to ensure clear communication and public awareness during forecasts and disaster response.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a cyclone alert for Maharashtra with ‘Shakti’ intensifying over the Arabian Sea. The warning, in place till 7 October, includes both coastal and interior districts, advising residents to brace for heavy rain, strong winds and rough sea conditions.