KOCHI: Heavy showers on polling day could seriously dampen voting percentage in the state. The Meteorological Centre has forecast heavy rain and thunderstorm in almost all parts of the state. Places like Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur — where voting percentage had been traditionally high — are expected to witness heavy rainfall.
The presence of a trough of low pressure over the Lakshadweep and an upper air cyclonic circulation stretching from the Maldives to south Tamil Nadu have already made it propitious for the summer showers to gain strength.
Weather officials have warned that the cyclonic conditions would intensify in the days to come. “A well-marked low pressure in south-west Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka will move north-westwards and concentrate into a depression in next 24 hours since Sunday. It is likely to continue north-westwards and further concentrate into a deep depression and cross Tamil nadu coast between Pamban and Nagapattinam on May 17th morning,” said an Indian Metereological Department official.
He said that as an impact of this, Kerala will get rainfall before May 17 when it crosses Tamil Nadu. This shower will be apart from the summer showers occurring in parts of the state.
