Tropical Cyclone Asani moved northwest across the Bay of Bengal on Monday morning. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Cyclone Asani was located at latitude 14.6°N and longitude 85.3°E which put it about 275 miles (445 km) southeast of Visakhapatnam, India and about 595 miles (965 km) south-southwest of Kolkata. Asani was moving toward the northwest at 9 m.p.h (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 980 mb.

The distribution of thunderstorms in Tropical Cyclone Asani became more asymmetrical on Monday morning as Asani moved northwest across the western Bay of Bengal. The strongest thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the western half of Asani’s circulation. Bands in the western half of the circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms just west of the center of circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 130 miles (210 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Asani.

Tropical Cyclone Asani will move through an environment that will become more unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Asani will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30˚C. It will move under the southern part of an upper level ridge over South Asia. The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Tropical Cyclone Asani’s circulation. Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear. Asani will move toward a mass of drier air that is sinking in the ridge over South Asia. The moderate vertical wind shear and the sinking drier air are likely to cause Asani to start to weaken during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Asani will move around the western side of a high pressure system over Southeast Asia. The high pressure system will steer Asani toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Asani will move toward the east coast of India. Asani could approach of Visakhapatnam in 48 hours.