Change due to weather system over Arabian Sea weakening into a depression

The Indian Meteorological Department on Saturday withdrew the code red weather warning, indicating extremely heavy rainfall, for the Western Ghats. S. Balachandran, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Chennai, said the colour code has now been reduced to orange, instructing administrators and other emergency response personnel to remain on stand-by.

On Sunday, a few districts abutting the Western Ghats and south Tamil Nadu will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall up to 24.4 cm. Many places of the State will have to prepare for moderate rainfall of 4-5 cm.

The weather system over the Arabian Sea and the neighbouring areas is now a depression looming over the southeast and the adjoining east-central portion of the waterbody.

It is expected to develop into a cyclonic storm by Sunday and move towards the south Oman and Yemen coasts.

“As the system is now moving westward, the volume of rainfall over Tamil Nadu may change,” an IMD official said.

Moreover, the upper air circulation along south Tamil Nadu has also weakened.

The weather models had earlier indicated that the systems would bring in extremely heavy rainfall over the Western Ghats.

Another low pressure

Meanwhile, another low pressure area is likely to form over the central and adjoining south Bay of Bengal around Monday and this is set to become a well-marked low pressure area and move towards Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts by Thursday. “The intensity of rainfall will depend on how the cyclonic storm in the Arabian sea and the weather system in the Bay of Bengal evolve in the next few days,” said Mr. Balachandran.

The Meteorological Department forecasts light to moderate rain spell over Chennai till Monday in some areas. Intermittent showers will help maintain a maximum temperature of 33 degree Celsius for two days.