CHENNAI: The low-pressure area over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal, reported on Friday, has intensified into a well-marked low-pressure area as of 5.30 am on Saturday, October 24, according to the latest bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The system is likely to intensify into a depression on Saturday and further strengthen into a cyclonic storm by the morning of October 26.

Meanwhile, light to moderate rain accompanied by light thunder and lightning is likely in six Tamil Nadu districts till 1 pm on Saturday, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, as reported by Daily Thanthi.

The six districts likely to receive rain are the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Erode, Krishnagiri and Salem.

Meanwhile, according to the IMD, the well-marked low-pressure area is likely to persist over the same region and intensify into a depression on October 24. It is then expected to move west-northwestwards and strengthen into a deep depression on October 25 before becoming a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 26.

Moving west-northwestwards, the system is likely to intensify further and reach the west-central Bay of Bengal near the Andhra Pradesh coast around the morning of October 28.

The cyclone will be named Arnab, as suggested by Bangladesh.