Tropical Cyclone Remal formed over the Bay of Bengal on Saturday. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Cyclone Remal was located at latitude 19.1°N and longitude 89.4°E which put it about 110 miles (175 km) south-southeast of Kolkata, India. Remal was moving toward the north at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 993 mb.

A low pressure system over the Bay of Bengal strengthened on Saturday and the India Meteorological Department designated the system as Tropical Cyclone Remal. The distribution of thunderstorms around Tropical Cyclone Remal was asymmetrical. Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the southern half of Remal’s circulation. Bands in the northern part of Tropical Cyclone Remal consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of Remal’s circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone.

The circulation around Tropical Cyclone Remal was large. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) from the center of Remal’s circulation.

Tropical Cyclone Remal will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Remal will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 31°C. It will move under the axis of an upper level ridge over South Asia and the Bay of Bengal. The winds are weak near the axis off the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Cyclone Remal will intensify during the next 24 hours. The large circulation around Remal could cause intensification to occur slowly.

Tropical Cyclone Remal formed along the leading edge of a surge of humid air moving north in the monsoonal flow over the Bay of Bengal. The monsoonal flow will continue to steer Remal north during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Remal will approach the northern coast of the Bay of Bengal in 24 hours. The center of Remal is likely to make landfall between Kolkata, India and Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Tropical Cyclone Remal will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to Bangladesh and adjacent parts West Bengal. Heavy rain is likely to cause floods in some locations. Remal could also cause a storm surge of up to 7 feet (2 meters) along the coast of Bangladesh.