Projected cyclone Fengal flattered to deceive through yesterday as the causative deep depression over south-west Bay of Bengal slowed down the burn, and remained practically stationary into the night. It lay about 100 km east-northeast of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka; 320 km south-east of Nagapattinam; 410 km south-east of Puducherry; and 490 km south-southeast of Chennai latest.

Satellite pictures showed strong upper-level winds from an incoming western disturbance shearing the cloud bands away to the east-northeast over the Bay combining with cooler sea-surface temperatures to slow down the deep depression. But this will only work to the advantage of coast and adjoining interior Tamil Nadu in terms of sustained moderate to heavy showers.

The deep depression moved ever so slowly off the Sri Lanka coast yesterday, and has now oriented itself towards the Tamil Nadu coast shifting track from west-northwest to north-northwest. It will continue to move in that direction skirting Sri Lanka coast, and intensify into cyclone Fengal.

The India Meteorological Department said the evolution as a cyclone may have taken place early this morning already, though confirmation may come only subsequently. The cyclone will weaken back into a deep depression and may cross north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram with wind speeds of 50-60 km/hr gusting to 70 kmph later on Saturday morning.

Related Topics