Expect heavy to very heavy rain in city, neighbours today: RMC
Montha to move towards Andhra and become a severe cyclonic storm tomorrow evening
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CHENNAI: Cyclone Montha will form over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal on Monday, and is likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28 morning.
The Regional Meteorological Centre forecasts heavy to very heavy rain in isolated places over Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chennai districts. Heavy rain is likely at isolated places over Villupuram and Chengalpattu and over Puducherry area on Monday.
The weather department said, “The deep depression lay centred at 5:30 am on Sunday and further moved west-northwestwards and lay centred at 8:30 on October 26 over the same region (around 780 km east-southeast of Chennai). It’s likely to move nearly west-northwestwards, intensifying further into a cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal on Monday.”
Thereafter, it is likely to move northwestwards, then north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28 morning. “It will move further north-northwestwards, and likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on the evening or night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph,” added the RMC.
On Monday, Cyclone Montha will bring heavy to very heavy rain in isolated places over Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chennai districts. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely at isolated places over Tiruvallur too. “There’s a possibility of heavy rain at isolated places over Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Chennai, Tenkasi, and Kanniyakumari and the Ghat areas of Tirunelveli on October 28,” said the weather bulletin.
Light to moderate rain is likely at a few places over north and south TN, and also over Puducherry, along with thunderstorms and lightning at one or two places on Monday.
On Monday and Tuesday, squally weather with wind speeds reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely to prevail along and off Tamil Nadu to Puducherry coast, over the Gulf of Mannar and the Comorin area. Sea conditions are likely to be rough to very rough. So, fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea areas during these days. Fishermen out at sea are advised to return to the coast immediately.