Chennai, Nov 27 (IANS):
A weather system brewing over the southwest Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Sri Lanka coast has intensified into a deep depression, with meteorologists expecting it to strengthen into a cyclonic storm by Thursday evening.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said the system is likely to move northwest across the Bay and the Sri Lankan coastline toward north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh by Saturday.
Once it attains cyclonic strength, the storm will be named Cyclone Ditwah, a name contributed by Yemen in the tropical cyclone naming list finalised by the WMO and UN-ESCAP.
The RMC has reiterated its forecast of heavy rainfall for south Tamil Nadu and the delta districts on Thursday, with a significant increase in rain expected across the State from Friday. Delta and adjoining districts may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Friday, while northern districts are likely to see heavy showers on Saturday as the system moves along the coast.
Rainfall eased on Wednesday after several days of intense downpours in the southern districts. During the 24 hours ending 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, only isolated light showers were recorded. Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram district received the highest rainfall at 3 cm, followed by Oothu in Tirunelveli with 1 cm.
In view of the system’s intensification, storm warning signals have been advised for major ports including Chennai, Cuddalore, Ennore, Thoothukudi, Nagapattinam, and Karaikal. Mariners have been cautioned against venturing into the southwest Bay of Bengal and nearby areas until further notice.
The latest outlook indicates isolated light rain in Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, and Tirunelveli as the deep depression continues to consolidate over the sea.
Meanwhile, Cyclone Senyar, currently positioned over northeast Indonesia and the Strait of Malacca, is expected to drift eastward while maintaining its intensity. The RMC confirmed that Senyar poses no threat to Tamil Nadu and will not affect weather conditions in the State.
