Cyclone Senyar forms over Malacca Strait; TN to see widespread rain

CHENNAI: Cyclonic storm Senyar, which formed over the Strait of Malacca early on Wednesday, is expected to maintain its intensity for the next 24 hours before weakening gradually, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The system, which developed from a deep depression, is currently moving westwards and is set to cross the Indonesia coast by forenoon today (November 26).

The IMD said the storm intensified into Senyar after moving nearly westwards at a speed of 10 kmph over the past six hours. As of 5.30 am on 26 November, it lay centred over the Strait of Malacca and adjoining northeast Indonesia, near latitude 5.0°N and longitude 98.0°E. It was located about 100 km east of Kuta Makmur (Indonesia), 260 km west-southwest of George Town (Malaysia), 600 km east-southeast of Nancowry (Nicobar Islands) and 740 km southeast of Car Nicobar (Nicobar Islands).

The storm is expected to continue moving nearly westwards before crossing the Indonesia coast around 5.0°N this forenoon. Thereafter, it is likely to track west-southwestwards initially and then recurve eastwards over the next 48 hours.

Meanwhile, the low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of Sri Lanka has strengthened into a well-marked low-pressure system. As of 5.30 am today (November 26), it lay over the southwest Bay of Bengal and nearby regions of southeast Sri Lanka and the Equatorial Indian Ocean. The system is likely to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a depression within the next 24 hours.

The IMD has forecast, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall across North Tamil Nadu, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Isolated to scattered rainfall is likely over Coastal Karnataka and South Interior Karnataka.