As a remnant of erstwhile ‘Gaja’ originating from the Bay of Bengal prepares to weaken as a depression across the Penninsular India and in the Arabian Sea, a fresh storm alert has been declared in the Bay of Bengal. India Met Department (IMD) said on Monday that a ‘well-marked’ low-pressure area over the central parts of South Bay would move westwards and likely intensify as a depression over the South-West Bay (off Sri Lanka-Tamil Nadu) by Tuesday.

Finding traction

The preparatory ‘low’ had drifted in from the Gulf of Thailand and adjoining Malay Peninsula and found traction over the waters already pulverised by ‘Gaja.’ Normally, full-blown storms do not follow each other in such short intervals.

Some global models are watching if the depression gathers further steam and intensifies into deep depression, even a minimal cyclone, by the time it reaches the Tamil Nadu coast by the weekend.

In its outlook, the IMD said that coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry may witness rainfall at most places with heavy falls at a few places and isolated very heavy falls on Tuesday. It would be isolated heavy to very heavy falls over South coastal Andhra Pradesh, South Rayalaseema and South interior Karnataka, while being isolated heavy over Kerala.

Almost similar outlook is valid for Wednesday with rainfall likely at most places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, South Rayalaseema and South iInterior Karnataka with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places and isolated heavy over Kerala.

High winds, rough seas

Strong winds with speeds reaching up to 45 km/hr gusting to 55 km/hr were forecast for the South-West Bay on Monday. These would scale to 50 km/hr gusting to 60 km/hr over the same area, the Gulf of Mannar and along and off the Tamil Nadu coast later.

The sea condition would be ‘moderate’ to ‘rough’ wave heights of 4 fto to 8 ft) over the South-West Bay on Monday; and ‘rough’ to ‘very rough’ (8- to 20 ft) there along with the Gulf of Mannar and along and off the Tamil Nadu coast later. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the South-West Bay, the Gulf of Mannar, and along and off the Tamil Nadu coast on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Meanwhile, across the peninsula, a deep depression (remnant of ‘Gaja’) over South-East Arabian Sea weakened into a depression on Monday evening, located to about 730 km west-north-west of Agatti (Lakshadweep) and 1,300 km east-south-east of Socotra (Yemen). It is likely to move nearly westwards and weaken further over the next two days. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the South-West Arabian Sea on Tuesday.

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