Chennai, Oct 26 (IANS) A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to strengthen into Cyclone Arnab on Monday before intensifying further as it moves towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, while several Tamil Nadu districts face heavy rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds.
The India Meteorological Department said the system, which developed over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal, had intensified into a deep depression on Sunday. Further strengthening into a cyclonic storm was forecast for Monday.
The developing storm is expected to move towards the Andhra Pradesh coast and could strengthen into a very severe cyclonic storm before making landfall.
Forecasts indicate a possible crossing between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by the forenoon of October 28, although its movement and intensity remain subject to subsequent weather bulletins.
The system will be named Arnab once it reaches cyclonic storm intensity. The name was proposed by Bangladesh under the regional naming arrangement for tropical cyclones over the northern Indian Ocean.
Meanwhile, the weather department has forecast heavy rain at isolated places in Pudukkottai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts in Tamil Nadu. Thunderstorms and lightning are also likely, accompanied by winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph. Similar conditions have been forecast at isolated places in Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar and Madurai districts. Theni, Dindigul, Karur and Tiruchirappalli are also among the districts where heavy rain, lightning and strong winds are expected.
In the Cauvery delta region, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam could experience heavy showers at one or two locations, with thunderstorms and gusty winds accompanying the rainfall. The district forecast points to spells of intense weather rather than uniformly heavy rainfall across every location.
Conditions could therefore vary considerably within individual districts, with brief downpours and sudden gusts affecting some areas more sharply than others.
The warnings cover southern, central and delta districts, bringing a broad stretch of Tamil Nadu under the possibility of unsettled weather as the Bay of Bengal system develops further.
The forecast distinguishes the system’s present stage from its projected strength: it was a deep depression on Sunday, with cyclonic storm formation and further intensification expected subsequently. Its eventual severity and coastal crossing will depend on how it develops over the next two days, making updated official forecasts crucial for assessing the evolving situation.
–IANS
aal/dpb
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