The deep depression over south-west Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclone Fengal (pronounced Feinjal) on a day after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had written off the system as incapable of making the grade due to inhospitable environment building around it. over the south-west Bay of Bengal off Tamil Nadu-Sri Lanka.

Fengal lay centred about 310 km north-northeast of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka on Friday evening as it drifted increasingly away from waters adjoining the island nation where it had nearly stalled. It is now approaching the Tamil Nadu coast and was away 300 km south-east of Chennai on Friday afternoon.

Landfall on Saturday

It is likely to move west-northwest and cross the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram close to Puducherry as a cyclone with wind speeds of 70-80 km/hr gusting to 90 km/hr on Saturday afternoon, merely a day after IMD declared its genesis over the south-west Bay. To its credit, the IMD had earlier hinted about a ‘small window of opportunity’ available between Thursday night and Friday morning for the deep depression to intensify. On hindsight, the system capitalised on it to turn itself around, which the IMD appeared to have been unaware of till mid-morning on Friday. 

IMD retracts, updates

The IMD retracted later on Friday morning, and said the cyclone was indeed in the making with deep depression gaining increased traction. The cyclone was declared at 2.30 pm during the course of a day that kept weather enthusiasts and watchers on tenterhooks. “It was touch and go. That much was clear. The system was born as a weakling and conditions were not favourable. It struggled for existence,” said V Karthik, a Chennai-based avid weather watcher and photographer. 

“Cloud bands were not strong on Thursday, and emptied into the Bay waters. Out of a dozen bands, not one made it to the shore. All that changed after the system started to intensify,” he told businessline on Friday. 

Fishermen warning

Fishermen have been told not to venture into south-west and west-central Bay; Gulf of Mannar; along and off Tamil Nadu-Puducherry; south Andhra Pradesh and east Sri Lanka coasts till Saturday evening. Those at sea were advised to return home.

Heavy rain alert

Heavy to very heavy rain is forecast at a few places over north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry on Saturday with extremely heavy rain at isolated places. On Sunday, it will be heavy to very heavy at isolated places over interior Tamil Nadu; and heavy at isolated places on Monday and Tuesday. 

Heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain is likely at isolated places over south coastal Andhra Pradesh on Saturday; and heavy at isolated places on Sunday. It will be light to moderate at many places over Rayalaseema with heavy to very heavy rain and extremely heavy rain at isolated places on Saturday heavy at isolated places. 

Light to moderate rain is likely over south interior Karnataka at many places on Saturday with isolated heavy rain while it will be heavy to very heavy at isolated places on Sunday and Monday. Light to moderate rain is likely at many places over Kerala with isolated heavy rain on Saturday and heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places on Sunday and Monday.

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