The west‑central Bay of Bengal has seen Arnab accelerate to 18 km/h as it heads northwest, a sharp uptick from the previous 12 km/h recorded last week.
Met officials noted the storm’s outer spiral has already brushed the coastline, tightening its path and prompting the earlier landfall window of 2‑4 am.
Police in Visakhapatnam have begun opening shelters for residents, while the Andhra Pradesh disaster management team has mobilised emergency crews to reinforce coastal defenses.
Meteorologists will continue to track Arnab until 6 am; officials will then issue a final advisory on intensity changes over the next 24 hours.