A cyclonic storm, codenamed ‘Gaja’, formed off a low in the south-east bay yesterday morning. It is currently lying over the east central Bay and south-east bay, but likely to intensify further and move in a northwesterly direction. As a precautionary measure, the Met Office has advised the maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra to hoist the distant cautionary Signal No. 2. It has also asked fishing boats and trawlers in the north bay to stay close to the coast, negotiate the sea cautiously, and not to venture into the deep sea until further notice.

The sea has already turned choppy with the blowing of squally winds as the Gaja is consolidating itself, packing winds of 62km per hour. Earlier, the Gaja brewed off a low formed on Friday in the Andaman Sea, the traditional birthplace of Bay cyclones. The low intensified into a well-marked low on Saturday. It intensified into a depression and quickly into a deep depression overnight to form a cyclonic storm.

Earlier, on Friday, a meteorologist had warned of its birth, saying it might move westwards over to the Indian coast of Odisha. Under its impact, there would be some rain over coastal Bangladesh which may cause a bit of warm weather but eventually cool the temperature further.

The Met Office yesterday said in its forecast for today that night temperature may rise slightly, while day temperature may remain nearly unchanged across the country. The lowest minimum temperature of 13.5 degrees Celsius was recorded in Tetulia yesterday.