Cyclone Nivar has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and was centred 320 kms from Puducherry coast and 380 kms from Chennai coasts in the Bay of Bengal as of Wednesday morning, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai said. The cyclone is currently moving at a pace of 6 kmph, and is expected to make landfall between Karaikkal in Puducherry and Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu sometime between the night of November 25 and early hours of November 26.
The Director of Regional Meteorological Centre S Balachander, addressing the media on Wednesday, said, “Cyclone Nivar has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm located South-South West 320 kms of Puducherry and 380 kms from Chennai coast. The cyclone is travelling at 6 kms speed and by noon, the cyclone will turn into a very severe cyclone and move East-South East and will cross near Puducherry and Mamallapuram by November 25 night.”
“The winds will blow at 120-130 kmph and may gust up to 145 kmph, and extremely heavy to very heavy rainfall will be recorded in Puducherry, Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruchy, Vizhupuram and Tiruvannamalai. The speed of the wind will be around 80-90 kmph at Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thiruvarur, Thiruvallur and Chengalpattu,” he said.
The Director of RMC said, “The rain will continue and increase step by step. We are receiving rains from the outer band and as the eye of the cyclone approaches, we will be receiving more rainfall.”
The Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai said that Nungambakkam has received 14 cm rainfall and Meenambakkam recorded 12 cm rainfall on Tuesday.
The weather blogger Pradeep John said that Cyclone Nivar is a complex one and will cross between Puducherry and Chennai on November 25 night to November 26 morning. He also predicted that the cyclone can intensify and become stronger than Cyclone Gaja. Chennai, Puducherry and surrounding areas will experience gusty winds on November 26 morning, he said.
“Extremely heavy rainfall will be experienced in Cuddalore, Puducherry, Villupuram and Chengalpattu areas. Very heavy rains will be reported at Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore,” said weather blogger Pradeep John.