New Delhi: Over southwest Bay of Bengal, a well-marked low-pressure area intensified into a depression on Thursday (March 3) morning. The depression is likely to intensify further over the next one day, said the India Meteorological Department. In the next 48 hours, the depression is likely to move west-northwestwards along and off the east coast of Sri Lanka towards north Tamil Nadu Coast, the weather department predicted.
Rainfall is expected over the next 2-3 days over several regions. Light to moderate rainfall along with thundershowers at most places, and 'heavy' to 'very heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during March 3-5, with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places on March 4, it said. Light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers at most places, and heavy rainfall at isolated places is also very likely over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema on March 4 and March 5, the bulletin said.
Strong winds (45-55 km per hour gusting to an almost cyclonic 65 km per hour) over the south-west and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal and along and off the Tamil Nadu-South Andhra Pradesh coasts and the Gulf of Mannar are expected on Thursday, the IMD said.
The strong winds will continue over the weekend. IMD predicted that on Friday and Saturday, squally weather (45-55 km per hour gusting to 65 km per hour) is likely over the West-Central and adjoining South-West Bay, and off North Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh coasts. The speed of the wind can slightly decline on Sunday to 40-50 km per hour gusting to 60 km per hour over North Tamil Nadu-South Andhra Pradesh coasts.
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The IMD has asked fishermen not to venture into South Bay of Bengal and adjoining Equatorial Indian Ocean, Gulf of Mannar and Comorin area till March 5; and southwest and adjoining areas of west-central Bay of Bengal and along Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts on March 3 and March 5.
The IMD added that sea conditions that had been rough over the South Bay of Bengal and adjoining Equatorial Indian Ocean, Gulf of Mannar and Comorin area since Wednesday (March 2) morning is likely to become 'very rough' over southwest and adjoining the west-central Bay of Bengal during March 3 to March 5.
(With PTI inputs)
