CHENNAI: The northeast monsoon has commenced over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala, the Indian Meteorological Department announced on Saturday. S Balachandran, southern regional head of IMD, said, “In the next 24 hours, heavy rain may occur in one or two places over Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the Arabian Sea till October 25 and the Bay of Bengal till October 26. Those in the deep sea have been asked to return. The initial phase of the northeast monsoon is expected to be weak. For the next five to six days, rain may not be intense,” Balachandran said.
A well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal cyclonic circulation over the Comorin and northeasterly winds have strengthened over the south and central Bay of Bengal and extend into middle tropospheric levels. The depression over the Arabian Sea has intensified into cyclone ‘Tej’ and is expected to intensify into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ in the next 36 hours. It is likely to cross the Yemen-Oman coasts on October 25, the IMD said.
Meanwhile, the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a depression by Sunday and may move towards Bangladesh. From October 23 to 27, light to moderate rain is forecast for TN, Puducherry and Karaikal. On October 24, a thunderstorm warning was issued for one or two places over the three regions. In Chennai, the sky may remain partly cloudy for the next 48 hours with light to moderate rainfall.