Chennai: The fear left behind by Cyclone Vardah is so deep among city residents that they worked themselves into a state of panic over a possible low-pressure area over the Andaman Sea. This is in fact a follow up of another false warning purportedly by NASA that Chennai was to receive 250 cm of rainfall. While NASA’s warning, which predicted unprecedented rains two days back proved wrong, social media is now glued to the next rumour: City to witness another cyclone by today.
With a few recent cyclones including Cyclone Nada turning damp squibs, Chennaiites were beginning to get the feeling that cyclonic storms are not very strong. “Analyses from the past six years show that cyclones in Chennai are unremarkable. Cyclone Vardah has turned people more acquainted to weather terminologies like low pressure, depression, deep depression and so on,” said Sai Praneeth, weather blogger.
But the problem exists due to misconception and shallow knowledge of weather affairs. Even after IMD confirmed of non-existent possibilities of a terrible cyclone like Vardah, social media users are worried about a satellite image that shows a massive cloud mass. Echoing the same, Independent Weather Blogger, Pradeep John said, “It is now existing as a trough of low pressure area over south Andaman Sea. It could intensify as a low pressure area, but there are no chances of cyclone formation.”
Rubbishing the rumours, he said, “A cyclone cannot be forecast based on satellite images as numerical models showing surface change and wind speed are necessary.” Dry days are ahead for Chennai with mild showers expected around December 20. Rainfall is likely in south and central Tamil Nadu coasts.
