Today’s Weather: Cyclone threat off as ‘Burevi’ weakens

Erstwhile cyclone ‘Burevi’ weakened last (Thursday) evening itself into a deep depression, and was waiting to cross the South Tamil Nadu coast even early on Friday morning, which India Meteorological Department (IMD) hopes would take place later in the morning. This effectively clears the South Tamil Nadu and South Kerala coasts of any cyclone threat.

‘Burevi’ is now a deep depression, a ranking one round below that of a cyclone, and was last located over the Gulf of Mannar but close to South Tamil Nadu coast about 40 km South-West of Ramanathapuram; 70 km West-South-West of Pamban; and 160 km North-East of Kanniyakumari during the early hours of Friday morning with wind speeds of about 50-60 km/hr gusting to 70 km/hr.

Also read: Weather: South Tamil Nadu, Kerala gear up for ‘Burevi’

To weaken as depression

The deep depression was expected to move to West-South-West and cross Ramanathapuram and adjoining Thoothukudi districts ‘within a few hours’ with wind speed of 50-60 km/hr and gusting to 70 km/hr. After crossing, it would weaken further into a depression (wind speeds of 40-50 km/hr gusting to 60 km/hr), the IMD said.

Satellite images suggest that the northern rain bands from the system have been lashing the coast of Tamil Nadu and adjoining interior areas, especially in the southern parts as also into the delta region, through the night and into the morning. A European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts outlook suggested that heavier rain would continue around Puducherry and adjoining interior till 8.30 am.

Rain continues to lash TN

The scattered moderate to heavy rain belt may extend from parts of North Kerala, the Ghat regions of Kerala and Tamil Nadu across an area bounded to the South-West by Sivakasi (Tamil Nadu), Munnar (Kerala), Pollachi (Tamil Nadu) and Palakkad (Kerala) to the rest of Tamil Nadu, South Interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, and Coastal Andhra Pradesh up till Kavali.

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places over South Tamil Nadu and at isolated places over Kerala and Mahe until tomorrow (Saturday) morning. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places over North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during this period. Heavy rainfall may lash isolated places over South Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Lakshadweep today (Friday).

Squally winds forecast

Squally winds with speed reaching 50-60 km/hr gusting to 70 km/hr are along and off the Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari in South Tamil Nadu, which would gradually reduce to 45-55 km/hr gusting to 65 km/hr into Friday morning.

Squally wind speed reaching 35-45 km/hr gusting to 55 km/hr may prevail along and off the Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts of South Kerala until Saturday morning. Squally winds reaching 35-45 km/hr gusting to 55 km/hr are forecast over the Lakshadweep-Maldives and adjoining South-East Arabian Sea on Friday.

Fishermen are advised not to venture into the Gulf of Mannar and adjoining South-West Bay of Bengal and along and off the South Tamil Nadu and North Sri Lanka coasts till Friday night; and along and off the Kerala coast, the Lakshadweep-Maldives area and adjoining South-East Arabian Sea until Saturday morning.