In what is a significant turnaround in the ongoing active phase of the North-East monsoon, the focus is shifting away from the Bay of Bengal (Tamil Nadu side) to the Lakshadweep Sea and adjoining South-East Arabian Sea (Kerala side), complete with a watch put out for a monsoon depression.
Reigning meteorological features have also realigned in this regard with Monday’s individual troughs on either side merging into the single one extending from the Maldives into South-East Arabian Sea, also setting off a preparatory cyclonic circulation over Maldives. This is expected to concentrate into a low-pressure area by Thursday.
Depression by weekend
The unified trough is forecast to move further to the West (into East-Central and adjoining South-East Arabian Sea) and the low-pressure area would undergo intensification as a monsoon depression, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) update said on Tuesday afternoon.
The IMD has forecast heavy rainfall at isolated places over Kerala and Lakshadweep on Wednesday. Thunderstorms with lightning are being forecast at isolated places over Coastal and South Interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and Lakshadweep. Squally weather with wind speeds reaching 45-55 km/hr gusting to 65 km/hr) is forecast over the Maldives area, the South-East Arabian Sea and adjoining Kerala coast and Lakshadweep area.
Heavy rain over South TN
Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall and isolated heavy rainfall is forecast Tamil Nadu and Puducherry until Wednesday and reduce thereafter. Isolated to scattered light rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning is likely over Coastal and South Interior Karnataka on Wednesday. Scattered to fairly widespread/moderate rainfall, thunderstorm and is the outlook for Kerala and Lakshadweep on Thursday and Friday.