The Hindu Business Line : Rain, winds picking up over Andaman Sea

Thiruvananthapuram, May 9 The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has observed that the rainfall activity over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has ‘increased considerably’ over the past few days.

The current meteorological analysis suggested that strengthening southwesterly winds would cause the widespread rainfall activity with isolated heavy falls to persist in the region over the next three days, the IMD said in its update on Friday.

But the IMD bulletin gave nothing away in terms of the anticipated onset of the southwest monsoon, although indications available from other Met sources suggested that the Andaman Sea was witnessing a churn forced by moderately strong southwesterly winds.

HEAVY RAINS

The Thai Met Department in the neighbourhood said on Friday that the skies were very cloudy with scattered thundershowers and isolated heavy rain. Prevailing winds had clocked speeds ranged from 20 km a hour to 35 km a hour and waves rose to about two metres in height, even more in areas with turbulent weather or thundershowers.

The southwesterly winds over the Gulf of Thailand and adjoining Andaman Sea are tipped to strengthen by Saturday, the Thai Met Office said. Ships sailing in the region, especially in the Andaman Sea, have been advised to proceed with caution during the next five days.

Meanwhile, a strong typhoon is forecast to develop over the South China Sea next week, which would prevent a concurrent circulation developing in the southeast Bay of Bengal from intensifying rapidly. The typhoon would be guided to the northeast by prevailing westerlies, but the Bay system would stand its ground and intensify to preside over the emerging weather in the region.

EQUATORIAL FLOWS

Over the Arabian Sea, the cross-equatorial flows were quite discernible as the easterly trade winds negotiated a turn to become westerly to southwesterlies off the African coast. The northwesterlies becoming west-southwesterlies clocked below par speeds of 10 to 15 knots (19 km a hour to 28 km a hour) on Friday. They need to strengthen further to bring the monsoon over the Kerala coast.

Meanwhile, over the mainland, the maximum temperatures were near or below normal over most parts of plains of northwest India and central India. The present scenario is likely to continue during the next three days as well. The north-south trough extending from Bihar to north Andhra Pradesh will kick up isolated to scattered rain/thundershowers or squalls over the East and the Northeast.

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