Chennai: A low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal on November 13, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai has forecast, while heavy rain is expected in four districts of southern Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.
The weather system is likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a depression within the subsequent 24 hours.
The forecast indicates the possibility of the system strengthening after its formation, though the information provided does not specify a landfall location or its likely impact on particular coastal districts.
For Wednesday, the weather centre has forecast heavy rainfall at places in Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts.
These four districts form the main area covered by the heavy-rain forecast in the bulletin. Moderate rainfall is likely across several other parts of the state, including the Cauvery delta districts.
Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam are among the districts expected to receive moderate showers, along with Pudukkottai.
The forecast also covers Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari, where moderate rainfall is expected during the day.
Taken together, the district-wise outlook points to rainfall across much of southern Tamil Nadu and parts of the delta region, with varying intensity.
Chennai, meanwhile, is expected to experience partly cloudy skies. Light rain is possible in some parts of the city, according to the weather centre.
The capital’s forecast is, therefore, milder than the heavy rainfall predicted for the four southern districts.
The immediate rainfall outlook and the anticipated development over the Bay of Bengal cover different stages of the forecast period.
Wednesday’s district-level predictions concern current rain prospects, while the possible formation of the low-pressure area is indicated for Friday, November 13.
The projected northwestward movement and subsequent intensification will be key developments in the coming days.
However, the forecast supplied does not establish whether the system will move towards the Tamil Nadu coast or identify where its strongest effects may be felt.
The weather centre’s outlook describes the formation and strengthening of the system as possibilities. It does not announce the formation of a cyclone.
For now, the main focus of the rainfall forecast remains southern Tamil Nadu, particularly Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli, while ten other districts are expected to receive moderate rain and parts of Chennai may see light showers under partly cloudy skies through Wednesday.
IANS
