Last night's depression over South-East Arabian Sea moved further North-North-Westwards and weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area over Lakshadweep and adjoining seas this morning.

The system is forecast to travel further North-North-West (out of Lakshadweep) and weaken over South-East and adjoining East-Central Arabian Sea (off Kerala-Karnataka coasts) during the next 24 hours.

STIFF RESISTANCE

The depression had run into stiff resistance from opposing winds over the open Arabian Sea originating from West Asia and Afghanistan/Pakistan from yesterday.

These winds blew forcefully straight into the core of the depression, severely compromising its vulnerable Western and North-Western flanks, and destroying the storm structure.

They also caused the air to 'sink' over the Arabian Sea and set up high pressure (as against rise, to create low pressure), capping the strength of the depression.

India Met Department said the well-marked 'low' would still able to generate rain or thundershowers with isolated heavy falls over Kerala and Lakshadweep until tomorrow.

Rain or thundershowers have been forecast for parts of the Southern part of Tamil Nadu during this period.

SQUALLY WINDS

Squally winds reaching up to 45 km/hr in speed and gusting to 55 km/hr have been forecast over the Lakshadweep area and adjoining seas off South Karnataka-Kerala coasts until tomorrow.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture out into the sea off Lakshadweep and adjoining South-East Arabian Sea until this evening.

This serves to complete the life-cycle of a non-seasonal depression, borne out of a stray equatorial Rossby wave (a planetary wave), that mimicked the making of last year's cyclone 'Ockhi.'

The Kerala government and its disaster management agency had gone into an overdrive ensuring safety of fishermen, particularly those who were already sea-borne when the alert was sounded.

Those in the coastal areas were strictly advised not to venture out into the seas pulverised by the depression, and eventually had to sit it out over the last three days.