A low-pressure area has formed today morning over Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining South-East Bay of Bengal. India Met Department (IMD) has already announced a watch for its intensification into a depression by tomorrow (Friday) over the Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining central parts of the South Bay of Bengal.
However, this would indicate the movement of a system to west-north-west and line with its projected track towards the north-west along the eastern flanks of Sri Lanka and then into Tamil Nadu in South India.
It is shocking to know that the depression would intensify twice over to become a tropical cyclone, the first of this pre-monsoon season, and not a rarity in itself.
This transformation is expected to happen by Sunday evening, and according to the IMD outlook, the cyclone can intensify more before crossing the North Tamil Nadu coast by Tuesday.
It is to be noted that the time lapse of a day between its maturing as a cyclone and its projected landfall will be enough for it to intensify. As, the required environmental conditions appear to be settling as of now.
Sea-surface temperatures are near to 30% over the Equatorial Indian Ocean and the adjoining South-West Bay which the building cyclone is expected to traverse.
Western disturbance
Over land, an inbound western disturbance has taken place over East Iran and adjoining Afghanistan in the form of a cyclonic circulation with trough aloft in the wind blowing from the west.
Western disturbances frequent the belt in this season as they travel from West to East, and depending on their strength and reach. They have often interfered with the track of cyclones in the Arabian Sea and the Bay.
Other regional cyclone, called Kenneth, has moved away far to the south-south-west to Madagascar and neighbourhood. Currently, its remote waves are lashing the South Tamil Nadu and Kerala coasts.
