Monsoon in good health as deep depression crosses Myanmar coast

On the second day of onset, the monsoon has covered the entire Lakshadweep, most parts of Kerala, some parts of Tamil Nadu, and advanced further into the Bay of Bengal.

The northern limit passes through Kannur, Coimbatore, Kodaikanal and Thoothukudi, an India Met Department (IMD) update said this morning.

RAPID INTENSIFICATION

Last night's depression in the East-Central Bay of Bengal rapidly intensified into a deep depression not too long after and crossed the Myanmar coast. 

It has weakened back into a depression this morning over coastal Myanmar and is forecast to travel in a North-East direction and weaken further.

This track and the local terrain could combine to guide the system back into Bangladesh and further into India's North-East and adjoining states, giving the monsoon there a leg-up.

By this time, the excess churn in the Bay in the depression's wake could set it up for another low-pressure area or even a depression off the Andhra Pradesh coast.

According to the IMD outlook, on crossing, it would head once again towards East India, likely setting up flooding conditions over Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Bengal.

SYSTEM WEAKENS

To the other side of the peninsula, Yesterday's well-marked 'low' off the North-Kerala-Karnataka coast has weakened into a conventional 'low' this morning.

This was only to be expected as its counterpart in the Bay acquired enhanced traction and intensified twice during the space of less than 12 hours to become a deep depression.

In the larger monsoon scheme of things, no two weather systems can hold on to their individual strength beyond a limit without blinking an eye in favour of the other.

The Bay system had the best attributes in terms time and space to intensify during the available short window, which was exhausted at the expense of the other.

The IMD also indicated that the 'low' in the Arabian Sea has moved a a little away from the North Kerala-Karnataka coast towards adjoining East-Central basin. 

IN 'GOOD HEALTH'

Latest updates show that the two 'arms' of the monsoon look to be in good health and would continue its steady  progress along the West Coast as well as into the North-East.

Conditions are favourable for the Arabian Sea arm to advance further to cover remaining parts of Kerala, and parts of Coastal and South Interior Karnataka during the next two days.

The Bay of Bengal 'arm' would make an onset over the North-Eastern States during this period, after covering East-Central and adjoining North-East Bay one after the other.

For today, the IMD has warned of squally winds around Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea) and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal) and advised fishermen against venturing out.

It has forecast heavy to very heavy rain for Coastal Karnataka while it would be heavy over South Interior Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep and the North-Eastern States.

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