Cyclone Threat Looms Over AP, Tamil Nadu Coasts
The system might move towards the south-central Bay of Bengal: Private weather forecasting agency Skymet
VISAKHAPATNAM: Close on the heels of cyclones Arnab and Murasu, another weather system is brewing over the Bay of Bengal, raising the possibility of fresh cyclonic activity along the east coast. A low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal around November 13 and move north-westwards, intensifying into a well-marked low-pressure area over the subsequent 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Amaravati, said in a bulletin on Tuesday.
Private weather forecasting agency Skymet said the system might move towards the south-central Bay of Bengal, remaining close to the equatorial region. Ocean heat potential and the prevailing wind profile are favourable for the sustenance and intensification of the system.
However, there is no consensus among weather models on its further development and movement. Skymet said a clearer picture would emerge once the system forms over the ocean as a low-pressure area.
It outlined three possible scenarios for the system. It could intensify and move towards Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh, following a track similar to Cyclone Murasu. Alternatively, it could move into the southwest Bay of Bengal and recurve, avoiding landfall along the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh coasts. The third possibility is that it could be steered towards the Myanmar coast, though the chances of this scenario remain uncertain.
Skymet said more clarity on the system's intensity and movement was expected by November 12-13. If the system develops into a cyclonic storm, it will be named 'Akvan', a name contributed by Iran.