CHENNAI:
The deep depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by November 1 and further strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm by November 2, before crossing the south Andhra Pradesh coast on the morning of November 3, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned.
According to the IMD, the system over the southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Andaman Sea moved west-northwestwards at a speed of 30 kmph during the past six hours.
As of 5.30 pm, it was centred over the southeast Bay of Bengal, about 960 km east-southeast of Chennai, 980 km southeast of Visakhapatnam, 1,030 km southeast of Machilipatnam and 1,080 km east-southeast of Ongole in Andhra Pradesh.
The weather system is expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal by midnight on October 31. It is likely to develop into a cyclonic storm on November 1 and further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal on November 2.
The system is expected to reach the west-central Bay of Bengal, close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast, during the early hours of November 3.
It is forecast to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapuram on the morning of November 3 as a severe cyclonic storm, bringing windspeeds of 100 to 110 kmph, occasionally gusting up to 120 kmph.
The IMD is closely monitoring the system’s movement and intensification. Its projected track and intensity will determine the extent of rainfall and wind impact along the Andhra Pradesh coast and neighbouring regions, including Tamil Nadu.