Northeast monsoon has been vigorous over Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu and active over interior Karnataka and Kerala during 24 hours ending Sunday morning.
Rainfall occurred at most places over Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) update said.
CLOUD COVER
Rains were confined to a few places over coastal and south Andhra Pradesh, central and interior Karnataka.
Satellite imagery showed rain-bearing clouds over Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal and southeast Arabian Sea.
As expected, active northeast monsoon conditions have opened up a ‘front’ off the west coast also.
A trough (elongated area of lower pressure and hence conducive for weather events) lay extended from Lakshadweep into Gujarat across east-central Arabian Sea.
South-easterly winds blowing into the trough is expected to throw up a low-pressure area over southeast Arabian Sea off Lakshadweep by Monday.
Predominant easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal would push the ‘low’ farther away from the west coast into open Arabian Sea.
This could bring a respite to the heavy rain regime over south peninsular India. Not for long if forecasts are any indication.
A low-pressure area is expected to get thrown up over South Andaman Sea by Wednesday.
An IMD outlook has suggested that thundershowers would occur at few places over coastal Andaman and Nicobar Islands and scale up after two days.
BAY STORM?
A few global models have indicated the possibility of this ‘low’ gaining strength as it moves into central Bay of Bengal.
It could likely gain cyclone status, and there is a possibility of the east coast being targeted before the month is out.
Movement of western disturbances could alter the ‘probable hit area’, which could extend from Chennai/Andhra Pradesh coast to Odisha coast.
Meanwhile, heavy to very heavy rainfall has been forecast over Tamil Nadu over the next two days.
Heavy rainfall has been indicated also at one or two places over Kerala, coastal and south interior Karnataka and Lakshadweep.