Severe cyclonic storm Nivar is likely to cross the Tamil Nadu coast between Karaikal and Mamallapuram of the southern state on Wednesday. Nivar, the first cyclonic storm to impact the Indian coast this season will have a wind speed of 100 to 110kmph gusting to 120kmph and bring extremely heavy rain to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Wednesday and Thursday.
It is likely to hit Tamil Nadu coast by midweek. The next three days shall see extremely heavy rain, strong winds along with highly rough sea conditions. The cyclone will further gain strength into a Severe Cyclone category (90 to 100 km/hr gusting to 110 km/hr) by Wednesday.
The weather bureau has said that the depression over southwest and adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal has moved west-northwestwards and lay centred about 520km east-southeast of Puducherry and 560km southeast of Chennai. M Mohapatra, India Meteorological Department’s (IMD’s) director general, said on Monday that Nivar is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours.
Officials have said that Nivar is an Iranian name and comes from a list of names suggested by the 13 north Indian ocean countries affected by cyclones in the region.
Under the influence of Nivar, widespread rainfall and thunderstorm activity over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are likely from Tuesday to Thursday and over south coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalseema and Telangana during Wednesday and Thursday.
Extremely heavy rainfall activity also very likely over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Wind speed of 55-65kmph gusting to 75kmph is prevailing over southwest and adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal. It would increase gradually becoming 65-75kmph gusting to 85kmph over the southwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal from Tuesday morning. It would further increase becoming 100-110kmph gusting to 120kmph over the southwest Bay of Bengal from Wednesday morning for subsequent 12 hours.
Sea conditions are likely to be ‘high’ to ‘very high’, with waves of 6 to 14 metres, along the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Wednesday. Tidal wave of one-metre height above the astronomical tide is also expected on Wednesday during landfall. Fishermen are advised not to go into the sea.
