CHENNAI: The well-marked low-pressure area over the west-central and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Monday evening and is likely to strengthen further into a deep depression during the next 24 hours, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said. The wind convergence influenced by the system has brought good rainfall in several parts of state, with Chennai receiving a sharp spell of rainfall on Monday evening.
The depression was about 310 km southeast of Puri and Gopalpur in Odisha, 390 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam and 470 km east of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The system is expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal. It is very likely to cross the north Andhra Pradesh-South Odisha coasts between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur during the night of September 23 and early hours of September 24.
The wind convergence influenced by the weather system has brought reasonable rainfall over several parts of Tamil Nadu. Ranipet recorded 45 mm, while Good Will School in Villivakkam received 52 mm till the evening. Vellore and Cuddalore recorded 23 mm each, while Chennai recorded 24 mm through an AWS station. Puzhal and Tiruvarur received 14 mm and 13.5 mm of rain, respectively.
For Tuesday, moderate rain with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph is expected at isolated places in the Western Ghats districts and southern Tamil Nadu. The rest of the state is likely to receive isolated light rain. On Wednesday, moderate rain is expected in the Western Ghats, while Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu could receive light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds.
Chennai is likely to see light to moderate rain during the evening or night with temperatures of 36-37°C.