The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said that a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, parts of Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean is likely to intensify over the next 24 hours.
The system is expected to bring scattered to dense clouds along with heavy rainfall and thunderstorms over the southwest and central Bay of Bengal, the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, west Sri Lanka and nearby equatorial waters.
If the system does intensify into a cyclonic storm, it will be named ‘Senyar’. The name, which means “lion”, was contributed by the United Arab Emirates under the rotating list of names used for the North Indian Ocean.
As per IMD norms, a cyclone is formally named only when a deep depression strengthens into a cyclonic storm, not before. ‘Senyar’ is the next name in the current roster, and will be assigned once the system reaches that stage.
Currently, the system has a central pressure of around 1006 hPa, which is a measure of the weight of the air above it, with winds of 20-25 knots, gusting up to 35 knots. Seas are rough to very rough in the Andaman Sea, the Strait of Malacca, around the Nicobar Islands, and near Malaysia, western Indonesia, and Thailand.
Meanwhile, the weather department has predicted heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu from November 25 to 30, Kerala and Mahe on November 25 and 26, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and Rayalaseema from November 29 to December 1, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from November 25 to 29.
Very heavy rainfall is expected in Tamil Nadu from November 28 to 30, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on November 26 and 27, and Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema on November 30.
The bulletin also warned of thunderstorms with lightning in Tamil Nadu from November 25 to 29, Kerala and Mahe from November 25 to 27, Lakshadweep on November 25, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and Rayalaseema on November 28 and 29, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Gusty winds are expected at 30-40 km/h on November 29, 40–50 km/h on November 25, and 50-60 km/h from November 26 to 28
Source: India Today