Low-pressure area formed over south Andaman on Saturday, TN to receive heavy rains

“Under the influence of the cyclonic circulation over Thailand and adjoining south Andaman Sea, a low-pressure area has formed over the south Andaman Sea and adjoining Thailand coast at 8.30 am on Saturday. Associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 5.8 km above mean sea level. It is likely to move west - northwestwards and concentrate into a depression over the north Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal by November 15,” said Dr S Balachandran, deputy director-general of Meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai.

“Then it is expected to continue to move west–northwestwards, intensify further and reach near Andhra Pradesh coast during the subsequent 48 hours. Yesterday’s cyclonic circulation over north interior Tamil Nadu and neighbourhood persists and now extends up to 3.6 km above mean sea level. The trough now runs from the cyclonic circulation over north interior Tamil Nadu to Gangetic West Bengal across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and extends up to 0.9 km above mean sea level,” he added.

Thereafter, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Theni, Dindigul, Coimbatore and Nilgiris districts of Tamil Nadu is expected to receive heavy to very heavy rains with thunderstorm activity for the next two days, and Salem, delta districts, Pudukottai, and adjoining areas to get heavy rains.

As far as Chennai is concerned, for the next 48 hours, the sky condition is likely to be generally cloudy; thunderstorm with light to moderate showers is likely to occur in some areas. The maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 29 degrees Celsius and 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

RMC warned fishermen against venturing into the sea due to cyclonic storms speeds reaching 40 kmph to 50 kmph in the east-central and southeast Bay of Bengal till Sunday.

With several districts experiencing heavy rains on Friday, Kanniyakumari received the highest rainfall of 14 cm, followed by Coimbatore 5 cm, Krishnagiri and Tirunelveli 4 cm each; Sivagangai, Tirupur and Thoothukudi recorded 2 cm of rainfall each.