The well-marked low pressure area over east equatorial Indian Ocean and the adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal has concentrated into a depression and lay centred about 1,140-km east south-east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 1,490-km south-east of Chennai and 1,720-km south south-east of Machilipatnam, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
It is very likely to intensify further into a deep depression in the next 24 hours and into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 12 hours.
Thunderstorm
It is very likely to move north west-wards off the Sri Lankan coast during the next 96 hours and reach north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts by April 30 evening. Thunderstorm, accompanied by lightning and gusty winds with speeds reaching 30 to 40 kmph, is very likely at isolated places in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, and East and West Godavari districts on April 27.
Thunderstorm, accompanied by lightning and gusty winds with speeds reaching 40 to 50 kmph, is very likely at isolated places in Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, and Nellore on April 29 and 30.
Meanwhile, the Cyclone Warning Centre here has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the Andhra coast. It has advised those who have are at sea to return immediately.
‘Stay away from beaches’
Special Correspondent in Vijayawada writes: In its advisory, the Andhra Pradesh Weather Forecasting and Early Warning Research Centre (AWARE), a division of the Real-Time Governance Society (RTGS), too asked fishermen at sea to return by Sunday. People too have been cautioned against going to the beaches over the weekend.
AWARE, predicting rough seas and high-speed winds accompanied by strong tides, is reaching out to the fishermen on their mobile phones and cautioning them through IVRS messages.
AWARE and RTGS are closely monitoring the weather system, according to a press release.