A cyclone, which is slowly brewing in the Bay of Bengal, is likely to cause a spike in temperatures in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu in the coming days.
Speaking to TNM, N Puviarasan, Director of Area Cyclone Warning Centre at the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai says that at present there is a low pressure system off the Andaman Islands. It is expected to develop into a depression on May 15 (Friday) and a cyclone on May 16 (Saturday). “It is likely to move northewestwards. It will further recalibrate and move north-northeast direction,” says Puviarasan. He, however, says it is too early to say where the cyclone will land. “Once it becomes a cyclone we will be able to track it more accurately,” says the director.
As far as the effects on the cyclone on Tamil Nadu go, the meteorologist says there will be a small increase in the temperature. “There will be a slight increase of temperature, but it won’t give heatwave conditions,” says Puviarasan, who also refused to speculate on how much the temperature is likely to increase in Chennai and other areas.
Weather blogger Srikanth who handles the Chennai Rains handle on Twitter, says that Chennai could potentially see temperature rising to 41-42 degrees Celsius. That’s a spike of five to six degrees from the present 35-36 degrees Celsius. However, there is a chance for rain if the cyclone comes close to the coast.
“If it comes close to us, we will get some rains. And once the recurve (of the cyclone) happens, and it starts going north, it will bring a heatwave to Chennai. So typically Chennai will start seeing 41-42 degrees Celsius once the cyclone intensifies and moves on, we can see a heatwave,” Srikkanth tells TNM.
In the month of May, Chennai recorded an all-time high of 45 degrees Celsius in 2003, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Srikanth explains that the low pressure trough will in all probability become a cyclone by May 20. “It’s going to be slow progress. It’s taken three days for the low pressure to form. So depression by May 15 and by next week possibly we will see the cyclone- around May 20 we should possibly see the cyclone getting closer to the coast,” he says.
As far as the location of the cyclone landing goes, he observes, “If you look at the May tracks it is either Andhra or it goes straight to Bangladesh or Myanmar. Or it doesn’t reach the land itself, it gets dissipated. It all depends on how close it comes to the coast during this northwest journey.”
South Tamil Nadu, however, will get good rains, says the weather blogger, thanks to another circulation off the coast of Sri Lanka.