The depression over southwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards towards the Tamil Nadu coast on Friday, March 4, and is likely to turn into deep depression bringing rains to coastal areas in the state and in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
"The depression over southwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of about 15 kmph during wee hours on Friday morning and lay centred at 8.30 a.m about 180 kms east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 390 kms southeast of Nagappattinam (Tamil Nadu), 470 kms southeast of Puducherry (Tamil Nadu) and about 530 kms south-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu)," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its 11.30 am bulletin.
It is likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 12 hours and likely to move north-northwestwards off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka till the morning of March 5, and then move west-northwestwards towards the northern Tamil Nadu coast in the subsequent 48 hours.
Light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers at isolated places are likely over coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema later on Friday, followed by similar light to moderate rainfall, thundershower at a few places with isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over north coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on Saturday.
The IMD has also forecast light to moderate rainfall or thunder shower at isolated places very likely over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema on Sunday too, with light to moderate rainfall and thunder showers at many places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal.
Light to moderate rainfall, thundershower with heavy falls at isolated places is very likely over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema, the IMD said. The weather watchdog has warned of squally winds and rough to very rough seas, and issued warnings for fisherfolk for coastal Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh.