NEW DELHI: The "depression" in Arabian sea is inching towards the coast, even as the India Meteorological Department has made a forecast of it turning into "deep depression" in the next 24 hours, bringing heavy rains to the western coast of the country - Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat.
"The depression over east-central Arabian Sea moved north-northwest wards and lay centred at about 580 km southwest of Mumbai, 560 km south-southwest of Veraval and 150 km southeast of Masirah Island (Oman).
"It would move north-northwestwards and intensify further into a deep depression during next 24 hours," the IMD said in a statement. Such a phenomenon affects the progress of monsoon, weather experts said.
IMD is yet to term it as a "cyclonic storm", but Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency, has said that the "depression" has already developed into a "deep depression" and is rapidly gaining strength showing features of a "tropical storm".
"It would move north-northwestwards and intensify further into a deep depression during next 24 hours. Strong wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph would prevail along and off Maharashtra, Konkan and Goa coasts during next 48 hours. Sea condition would be rough along and off Maharashtra, Konkan and Goa coasts during the same period," IMD said.
It has categorised cyclones in various degrees, starting with "depression" and "deep depression", followed by a "cyclonic storm".
"We are monitoring the progress of the depression. It would be difficult to say if this would affect the progress of monsoon. At times, such patterns help give more moisture to the monsoon winds and help in progress.
"But there have been times when it has affected the progress of monsoon. Last year, cyclonic storm Nanauk in Arabian Ocean affected the progress of monsoon. It was supposed to hit Mumbai by June 10, but finally arrived on June 15," said Krishnanand Hosalikar, Deputy Director General, IMD.