Tropical Cyclone Dana formed over the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Dana was located at latitude 17.6°N and longitude 88.8°E which put the center about 370 miles (595 km) south of Kolkata, India.  Dana was moving toward the north-northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb.

A low pressure system over the Bay of Bengal strengthened on Wednesday morning and the India Meteorological Department designated the system as Tropical Cyclone Dana.  The circulation around Tropical Cyclone Dana exhibited more organization on Wednesday morning.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the southern side of the center of Dana’s circulation.  Bands of thunderstorms were occurring in the western side of Tropical Cyclone Dana.  Bands in the eastern sides of Dana’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of Dana generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone.

Tropical Cyclone Dana will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Dana 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 that extends from Southeast Asia to over the northern Bay of Bengal.  The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Dana’s circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Tropical Cyclone Dana will intensify during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Dana will move around the western side of a high pressure system over Southeast Asia.  The high pressure system will steer Dana toward the northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Dana will move toward the coast of India.  Dana is likely to approach the coast southwest of Kolkata in 36 hours.

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