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There was no 'Cyclone Arnab'. Here's what hit Andhra, and what IMD is watching next
"Cyclone Arnab" was searched more than almost anything else in India this month, but IMD never named a cyclone Arnab. The system that soaked north Andhra and south Odisha on 23–24 September was a deep depression. Arnab is simply the next name on the list. Here's what's true, what isn't, and what IMD expects next.
TL;DRThe short version
- No Cyclone Arnab: IMD logged the late-September system as a Deep Depression (21–27 September 2026). It crossed the north Andhra–south Odisha coast near Kalingapatnam on the night of 23–24 September and never reached cyclone strength (34 knots, about 62 km/h), so it got no name.
- Arnab is next in line: the Bangladesh-contributed name ("ocean") goes to the next storm that reaches cyclone strength. After it come Murasu (India), Akvan and Kaani.
- Watch 13 October: IMD's 10 October outlook expects a low-pressure area over the southeast Bay around 13 October. It rates the chance of a depression as LOW, and only in the 6–7 day window.
- Follow official IMD cyclone bulletins, not forwards: rsmcnewdelhi.imd.gov.inDistrict warnings are on mausam.imd.gov.in. Our cyclone tracker shows IMD's latest status and the next names.
Key facts
- Last system
- Deep Depression, 21–27 Sep 2026 (IMD)
- Coast crossing
- North Andhra–south Odisha, near Kalingapatnam, night of 23–24 Sep
- Peak strength
- Deep depression (28–33 kt), below the 34 kt cyclone threshold
- Next name
- Arnab (Bangladesh), then Murasu, Akvan, Kaani
- IMD outlook (10 Oct)
- Low-pressure area over SE Bay around 13 Oct; depression chance LOW, 144–168 hrs
- Season
- Post-monsoon cyclone season: October–December
Short answer: no storm called Arnab has formed yet. The system that hit coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in late September was a deep depression, which is one step below a cyclone. "Arnab" spread on social media because it's the next name in the queue.
01
Myth Cyclone Arnab made landfall in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on 23–24 September.
Fact IMD classified the system as a Deep Depression (21–27 September 2026). It crossed the north Andhra–south Odisha coast near Kalingapatnam that night with winds below the cyclonic-storm threshold of 34 knots (about 62 km/h), so it was never named.
02
Myth IMD named the storm Arnab (or Arnav).
Fact Arnab is the next unused name on the North Indian Ocean list, contributed by Bangladesh and meaning "ocean". It goes to the next system that reaches cyclone strength. "Arnav" isn't on the list at all.
03
Myth A cyclone will hit on 13 October.
Fact IMD's outlook of 10 October expects a low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal around 13 October. It rates the chance of even a depression as NIL through 16 October and LOW (1–33%) in the 144–168 hour window. A low-pressure area is not a cyclone.
04
Myth IMD picks a name when a storm forms, or goes alphabetically.
Fact The 13 member countries of the WMO/ESCAP Panel adopted a fixed list in April 2020. Names are used in order, column by column, and never repeated.
05
Myth If it wasn't a cyclone, it wasn't dangerous.
Fact The deep depression still brought heavy rain and squally winds of up to 75 km/h, red alerts in several south Odisha districts, evacuations, and school closures in districts including Ganjam, Gajapati, Khurda and Malkangiri.
How a system earns a name
IMD names a system only when its maximum sustained winds reach 34 knots (about 62 km/h), the cyclonic storm threshold. Below that, it's a depression (17–27 kt) or a deep depression (28–33 kt). The late-September system peaked as a deep depression. The squally winds of up to 75 km/h reported at landfall were gusts. IMD classifies systems by sustained winds.
What's on the list next
| Order | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arnab | Bangladesh |
| 2 | Murasu | India |
| 3 | Akvan | Iran |
| 4 | Kaani | Maldives |
| 5 | Ngamann | Myanmar |
The most recent named storms were Montha, Senyar and Ditwah. (IMD naming list)
What IMD is watching now
- Around 11 October: a cyclonic circulation now over the Strait of Malacca is expected to move into the Andaman Sea.
- Around 13 October: a low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal.
- Chance of a depression: NIL until 16 October, then LOW (1–33%). IMD's 8 October extended outlook says conditions may support a low-pressure system over the south Bay in week 1, possibly moving west across peninsular India in week 2.
- Arabian Sea: NIL chance of a depression for the next seven days.
October to December is the post-monsoon cyclone season, when Bay of Bengal storms often head for Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. That's why the next name, Arnab, keeps trending. We'll update our cyclone tracker as IMD issues new bulletins.
Trend Monitor
Past its peak but still elevated. The 7-day "cyclone" index went 49 → 64 → 65 → 63 → 61 → 52 → 45 → 45. If the low-pressure area forms around 13 October, "Cyclone Arnab" searches will likely come back, whether or not it strengthens.
- cyclone arnab+2,188,050%
- cyclone arnab live+659,700%
- cyclone arnab landfall+536,800%
- cyclone arnav+251,200%
- odisha cyclone name+95,650%
Google Trends, India, rising queries, 30 days