A low-pressure area, the second during this pre-monsoon season, is forecast to develop over the South-East Arabian Sea and adjoining Equatorial Indian Ocean (between Kerala and Maldives) in the next four days (by Friday), an outlook from India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.

Satellite pictures on Monday afternoon showed massive clouding over South and adjoining West Arabian Sea around a cyclonic circulation over the Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining central parts of the South Arabian Sea, which would gradually evolve as a low-pressure area.

‘Low’ set to intensify

The ‘low’ is expected to become ‘more marked’ (intensify) over the South-East Arabian Sea, the IMD said. Some global models posit it more towards South-Central Arabian Sea and go on to find a familiar away-going track for the system off Kerala/Lakshadweep and development as a likely cyclone.

As for Monday, the IMD has warned that squally weather (wind speed reaching 40-50 km/hr) is likely along and off the Kerala coast and over South-West and adjoining South-East Arabian Sea and the Equatorial Indian Ocean (far West of Maldives). Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas.

Heavy to very heavy rain is likely over Coastal and South Interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, and Kerala and Mahe on Monday. Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds may lash Kerala and Mahe, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and Lakshadweep on Tuesday.

Watch with caution

An extended forecast valid for the weekend said fairly widespread to widespread rain/thundershowers are likely over Lakshadweep Islands and scattered to fairly widespread over Kerala and Mahe, while it would be isolated to scattered rainfall/thunderstorms for the remaining parts of peninsular India.

A low-pressure area developing along the track of building monsoon flows has a disruptive impact with ramifications for the dynamics of the monsoon, the normal date of onset for which is June 1. Any system developing around mid-May in the Arabian Sea needs to be watched with caution, monsoon experts say.

Pre-monsoon weather

On Monday, the typical pre-monsoon feature of a North-South trough (elongated area of low pressure and therefore capable of generating weather) ran down from a cyclonic circulation over Vidarbha to the Kerala coast across Marathawada and Interior Karnataka.

Elsewhere, the seasonal thunderstorms associated with the Kal Baishakhi season will continue at many places over East and adjoining North-East India while western disturbances will stir up the weather over North-West India triggering hailstorms at parts of the plains and dust storms over Rajasthan.

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