'Cyclone Arnab' Has Taken Social Media By Storm, And Yet It Does Not Even Exist: Here's Why

News india 'Cyclone Arnab' Has Taken Social Media By Storm, And Yet It Does Not Even Exist: Here's Why

Last Updated:September 24, 2026, 04:13 IST

According to official classifications from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), no storm named Cyclone Arnab actually exists in the Bay of Bengal

Social media feeds and digital headlines are abuzz with warnings about “Cyclone Arnab" barrelling towards the eastern coast of India. However, according to official classifications from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), no storm named Cyclone Arnab actually exists in the Bay of Bengal.

The weather system currently impacting the region is scientifically classified as a “Deep Depression". While it brings heavy deluges and gusty winds to Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal, it has not met the strict meteorological thresholds required to earn an official cyclone name.

The 63 km/h Line: How Weather Systems Are Classified

The distinction between a deep depression and a cyclonic storm comes down to wind speed and atmospheric pressure patterns. The India Meteorological Department follows precise scientific parameters to categorise low-pressure systems forming over the North Indian Ocean:

• Depression: Maximum sustained surface winds range between 31 and 50 km/h (17 to 27 knots), featuring two closed isobars.
• Deep Depression: Maximum sustained surface winds reach between 52 and 61 km/h (28 to 33 knots), with three closed isobars.
• Cyclonic Storm: Surface winds must cross the threshold of 63 km/h (34 knots) or higher, accompanied by four or more closed isobars.

The current system peaking over the Bay of Bengal remains capped at deep depression strength. Because sustained wind speeds have not crossed the mandatory 63 km/h limit, meteorologists cannot officially assign it a name.

Where Did the Name ‘Arnab’ Come From?

The name “Arnab"—which translates to “ocean" in Bengali—is simply the next available name on the regional tropical cyclone master list. Contributed by Bangladesh, the moniker sits in the official roster maintained by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (WMO/ESCAP) panel.

The master list features names submitted by 13 member nations, including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Maldives, and Oman. Names are pre-assigned in a strict sequential order. Whenever a weather system over the North Indian Ocean reaches cyclonic storm intensity, the next name in line is activated. “Arnab" remains parked at the top of the queue, waiting for the first true cyclone of the season to claim it.

Why the ‘Non-Cyclone’ Still Poses Serious Hazards

The absence of an official cyclone label does not mean the weather threat is benign. Deep depressions frequently carry massive moisture loads that can cause widespread disruption, flash flooding, and landslides across coastal and inland districts.

The system moving across the north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts close to Kalingapatnam continues to drive torrential rainfall, uprooting trees and swelling local rivers. State authorities across Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have closed schools, evacuated thousands of residents from vulnerable slopes, and deployed emergency response teams.

Tracking weather warnings requires paying attention to IMD wind and rainfall alerts rather than social media storm labels. A system does not need an official cyclone name to deliver catastrophic rainfall.

About the Author

Pathikrit Sen Gupta

Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He tra...Read More

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