CHENNAI: The Regional Meteorological Centre has reported two significant weather systems influencing the region. A well-marked low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal off the Tamil Nadu coast is showing signs of intensification. The system, which moved northwestward from off the north Sri Lanka coast, lay centered near the Tamil Nadu coast this morning.
IMD forecasts indicate that it is likely to intensify into a depression over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal off the north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts during the next 12 hours. Subsequently, it is expected to move inland across north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh within the following 12 hours.
Meanwhile, another well-marked low-pressure area over the southeast Arabian Sea has intensified into a depression. The system is positioned about 630 km west-southwest of Aminidivi (Lakshadweep) and 1020 km southwest of Panjim (Goa). According to IMD, the depression is likely to move slowly north-northwestwards during the next 24 hours.
This heightened activity is expected to bring widespread rainfall over Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and adjoining areas.
Meanwhile, as per the rainfall recorded between 8:30 am on Tuesday and 5:30 am on Wednesday, widespread rainfall has been reported across Tamil Nadu with Cuddalore (174 mm) recording the highest rainfall, followed by Puducherry (147 mm) and Nungambakkam in Chennai (86.4 mm).
Other major rainfall figures include, Tondi (65 mm), Pamban (63 mm), Meenambakkam (52.5 mm), Karaikal (43 mm), and Nagapattinam (42 mm). Several interior districts also received moderate showers, including Madurai (41 mm), Tiruchirappalli (28 mm), and Salem (18.9 mm). Automated Weather Stations (AWS) reported particularly heavy rain at Puducherry (146.5 mm), Kalavai (100 mm), Neyveli (95 mm), and Chennai AWS (89 mm). The highest rainfall from Automatic Rain Gauge (ARG) stations was recorded at Periya Kalapet, Puducherry (247.5 mm), followed by ACS Medical College, Kanchipuram (84.5 mm) and Poonamallee, Tiruvallur (82 mm).
With the Bay system likely to strengthen further, IMD has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall over north coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh in the next 24 hours.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal due to squally weather conditions.
Apart from that, the weather models are showing another low-pressure area forming towards the end of the month, which may also intensify into a cyclone.
