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 the IMD, rainfall activity is likely to ease after October 27, with a significant reduction expected from Tuesday onwards. The state is likely to experience a prolonged spell of relatively weak rainfall thereafter. he easing of rainfall is expected to bring a sharp rise in daytime temperatures, with the IMD attributing the anticipated warming trend partly to prevailing strong El Niño conditions.
“The warming trend in the Pacific is expected to continue until around March next year before any cooling process begins. When such a vast oceanic area warms up, heat transfer into the atmosphere increases correspondingly, keeping both daytime and night-time temperatures on the higher side,” Neetha K Gopal said.
She added that temperatures across Kerala could rise rapidly once the rain clears after Tuesday. Kerala received 230.1 mm of rainfall against the normal 244.4 mm until Saturday, registering a deficit of 6%, according to the IMD.
While several districts have recorded substantial rainfall over the past five days, Idukki, Kasaragod and Malappuram continue to experience significant deficits.
Kasaragod recorded the highest deficit among the districts listed, at 29%, receiving 135.6 mm against its normal rainfall of 302.6 mm. Idukki and Malappuram each recorded a deficit of 22%. Ernakulam recorded a 11% deficit, followed by Thrissur at 15%, Kollam at 10%, and Alappuzha and Kannur at 7% and 6%, respectively.
In contrast, Wayanad recorded a 41% surplus, with 234.7 mm against its normal rainfall of 166 mm. Palakkad recorded a 14% surplus, while Kozhikode and Pathanamthitta registered surpluses of 12% and 8%, respectively. Thiruvananthapuram also recorded an 8% surplus. With heavy rainfall expected to continue through Monday before giving way to a drier spell, the state faces a transition from immediate rain-related concerns to the prospect of rising temperatures in the days ahead.