Depression in the Southwest Arabian Sea rapidly intensified to a deep depression and further to a cyclonic storm. The first storm of the post-monsoon season named Gati is moving west-northwest, away from the Indian coast and heading for Somalia. It is likely to intensify further to a severe cyclonic storm shortly and make landfall near Ras Hafun (Somalia) on 23rd November morning. This cyclone will have winds in excess of 100 kmph at the time of crossing coast and will weaken to a cyclonic storm in 12 hours and further to a depression in the subsequent 24hr.
There is a well-marked low-pressure area in the southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal. Under favourable sea conditions, the weather system is gathering energy and is likely to become a depression in the next 12 hours. This will be rapidly strengthing to a cyclonic storm in the subsequent 24 hours over the southwest Bay of Bengal off Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka coast. The first named storm Nivar of the season in the Bay of Bengal will move Northwest to cross Tamil Nadu coast between Puducherry and Karaikal (south of Chennai) on November 25th morning.
This will be a slow-moving system associated with gale speed winds carrying the catastrophic potential for coastal Tamil Nadu. The coastal stations from Pamban to Chennai will run the risk of flooding with extremely heavy rains on 24th & 25th November. The penultimate weather activity is likely between Nagapattinam and Puducherry. The state capital Chennai and Union Territory of Puducherry need to go on high alert to meet eventualities of flooding and disruption of rail, road and air connectivity. High-velocity winds accompanied with incessant rains will run the risk of damage to weak structures and collapse of kutcha houses. Timely evacuation of people in the direct firing range of the storm is advisable.
