Cyclonic storm likely to hit Andhra coast, warns weather bureau
13 Dec 2018
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The weather bureau has issued a pre-cyclone watch warning over an intensive depression in the Bay of Bengal that, it said, could develop into a severe cyclonic storm and hit the Andhra Pradesh coast over the next 12 to 48 hours.
Latest satellite imageries and surface observations indicate that a depression has formed over southeast Bay of Bengal and lay centered at 0530 hrs IST today (13 December 2018) near latitude 6.5°N and longitude 88.7°E, about 850 km east-southeast of Sri Lanka’s Trincomalee, 1170 km southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 1350 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh), the bureau said.
This, it said, is very likely to intensify further into a deep depression during next 12 hours and into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours. It is very likely to move north-westwards towards Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coast during next 72 hours, it added.
The weather bureau has warned of rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and north coastal Tamil Nadu on 15 December.
Rainfall is likely at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and extremely heavy falls (≥ 20 cm) at isolated places likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh on 16 December and isolated heavy falls on 17, it said.
Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is very likely to prevail over central parts of south Bay of Bengal and adjoining Equatorial Indian Ocean, it said.
On Friday (14 December) the bureau said gale wind speed reaching 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph is very likely over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal.
On Saturday (15 December) squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely to commence along and off coastal Andhra Pradesh and north Tamilnadu and Puducherry coasts from morning, it said, adding that gale wind speed reaching 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph is likely to prevail over southwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal.
On Sunday (16 December) gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph is likely to prevail along and off coastal Andhra Pradesh from morning and will increase gradually thereafter, it said, adding that squally winds with speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph are likely over north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast. Gale wind speed reaching 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph is likely to prevail over west central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal.
The sea condition is very likely to be rough to very rough over central parts of south Bay of Bengal and adjoining Equatorial Indian Ocean on 13 and high over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal on 14. The sea condition is very likely to be high to very high over southwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal on 15 and over west central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal on 16, it added.
Fishermen have been advised against venturing into central parts of south Bay of Bengal and adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean on 13, into southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal on 14, into southwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal on 15 and west central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal on 16 December.
It has also advised those who are out in deep sea areas to return to the coast.
