If you’re in Delhi and reached for a jacket this week, you can thank a storm that started more than 1,000 km away.
Cyclone Arnab slammed into Andhra Pradesh, flooded parts of Odisha, and then sent its leftover clouds racing north – turning October in Delhi into something that feels a lot like December.
🌀 Cyclone Arnab in 30 Seconds
- Hit the Andhra coast near Yanam early on October 28
- Andhra Pradesh loss estimate: Rs 4,600 crore (preliminary)
- 3,700 power poles down, nearly 400 villages without power
- Odisha floods: 36 trains cancelled on Howrah-Chennai route
- Delhi: coldest October day in four years
Andhra Pradesh Takes the Hardest Hit
Arnab crossed the coast in the early hours of Wednesday. The villages around Narsapur, right next to where it made landfall, saw the worst of it.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has put the early damage estimate at Rs 4,600 crore. The power sector alone has taken a hit of around Rs 500 crore, according to Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar – and he says the full picture is still being worked out.
3,700 power poles uprooted in a single district – that’s how strong Arnab was.
Teams are racing to fix things. Around 1,700 workers are on the ground, with 500 more from state power companies and another 500 sent by Telangana.
Reports say three people lost their lives in Andhra Pradesh, and around 55,000 people were moved to safety after landfall.
Odisha: Rivers Rise, Trains Stop
As the storm moved inland, Odisha faced serious flooding. The state sent more than 300 rescue teams to Ganjam and eight other districts.
The Bahuda river rose above the danger mark at two railway bridges – which is why so many trains on the busy Howrah-Chennai line were cancelled, diverted or rescheduled.
Delhi’s Surprise Winter Preview
Here’s where it gets interesting for north India.
By the time Arnab weakened over Chhattisgarh and Odisha, it had pushed a lot of moisture and clouds north. The result? Rain across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram, and temperatures that dropped fast.
| City | Max Temp (Oct 29) |
|---|---|
| Delhi (Safdarjung) | 25.4°C – 5.6°C below normal |
| Rohtak | 24.6°C |
| Ambala | 23.8°C |
| Karnal | 20.6°C |
For Delhi, that was the coldest October day since 2022.
What’s Next? IMD Says Stay Alert
The weather office isn’t done yet. The IMD has issued red and orange alerts for thunderstorms across Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh and much of north India for the next two days.
- Western UP: gusty winds and possible hailstorms
- Himachal Pradesh: yellow alert for Kangra, Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur
- Rajasthan: rain and strong winds in eastern parts
✅ Quick Tips
- Check your train status before leaving if you’re travelling east or south
- Keep an umbrella handy in north India this weekend
- Avoid parking under trees during gusty winds
FAQs
Where did Cyclone Arnab make landfall?
It crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast near Yanam in the early hours of October 28, 2026.
How much damage did Cyclone Arnab cause?
Andhra Pradesh has estimated a preliminary loss of around Rs 4,600 crore.
Why is Delhi so cold in October?
Clouds and rain from the weakened Cyclone Arnab system pushed temperatures down, giving Delhi its coldest October day in four years.
How’s the weather in your city? Drop a comment and let us know! 🌧️
Facts based on official statements reported by Outlook India and other agencies.
