A tropical cyclone has formed over the eastern Bay of Bengal and it poses a potential threat to the eastern portion of India.  At 2:00 p.m. EDT the center of Tropical Cyclone Hudhud was located at latitude 13.4°N and longitude 89.6°E, which put it about 625 miles south-southwest of Chittagong in Bangladesh and about 520 miles east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, India.  Hudhud was moving toward the west-northwest at 13 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. and there were gusts to 75 m.p.h.

An upper level high located northeast of Hudhud is generating northeasterly winds over the top of the circulation of Hudhud.  Those winds are producing wind shear, which is the main factor limiting the intensification of the tropical cyclone.  At the same time the winds are also enhancing outflow on the western side of the tropical cyclone, which is allowing for it to slowly become better organized.  Some of the guidance suggests that the wind shear will decrease as Hudhud moves farther west and intensification is possible before it makes landfall in India.

Clockwise flow around the upper level high is also steering Hudhud toward the west-northwest and it is expected to continue to travel in the direction for the next few days.  If it maintains its current forward motion, Hudhud will approach the eastern coast of India in about 48-72 hours.  It could make landfall near Visakhapatnam during the weekend.