THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keralam is on high alert as ‘Cyclone Arnab’ that is gathering strength in the Bay of Bengal is set to influence the movement of a low-pressure area over the Arabian Sea, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting heavy rain in the state for two days.
A red alert has been issued for Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad districts on Sunday, and for Idukki and Palakkad on Monday.
IMD director Neetha K Gopal told TNIE that the state is expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall till Monday. “There is a low-pressure area in the Arabian Sea off the Kerala coast, and it is interacting with Cyclone Arnab in the Bay of Bengal that is expected to intensify by October 26. Under its influence the low-pressure area is now expected to move eastward, cross Kerala, pass through Tamil Nadu, and dissipate,” she said.
Keralam sees 6% rain deficit so far in October
According to IMD, rain is likely to ease after October 27. “Rain activity will continue across the state until October 26, after which there will be a significant drop in rainfall leading to a prolonged weak spell from Tuesday,” said Neetha.
In October, Keralam received 230.1 mm of rainfall against the normal 244.4 mm till Saturday, leaving the state with a 6% deficit. According to IMD, most districts received decent rain over the past five days, while districts including Idukki, Kasaragod, and Malappuram currently remain rain deficient.
IMD has warned of a rise in temperature when rain clears after Tuesday owing to the El Nino condition.
“The warming trend in the Pacific is expected to continue until March next year. When such a vast oceanic area warms up, the heat transport into the atmosphere increases correspondingly, keeping both day and night temperatures on higher side. As soon as rain clears, we can expect a rapid rise in day temperatures in the state,” she added.