Cyclonic storm likely to hit Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, heavy rains, thunderstorms expected

Heavy to very heavy rain is expected in the Southern state of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the Indian Meteorological Department said. The IMD has already issued a cyclone warning in the state. The cyclone is expected to hit by April 29. "Due to this cyclonic activity, moderate to heavy rain likely to occur over coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry 29th April onwards," an official said. According to IMD, a low-pressure area is likely to develop over the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka by Thursday, which is expected to move northwest towards Tamil Nadu coast and intensify into a cyclonic storm by April 29.

Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai S Balachandran said that the possibility of rains depends on the proximity of the system to the coast. He also added that more clarity on the movement of the system will be available by Thursday. “The depression might intensify into a cyclonic storm by April 26 or 27, and move towards Tamil Nadu. Fishermen are advised to not venture into the sea from April 26,” he told the reporters.

There is also a dust storm prediction in Delhi. The national capital is witnessing hot days as mercury on Wednesday touched 41.7 degrees Celsius. Some areas even crossed the 43-degree mark according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). “A feeble Western Disturbance is affecting northwest India, but there is no moisture in this region. So, we are only expecting thunderstorms in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh. The dust storm is a result of heat. There may be thunderstorms in Jammu and Kashmir as well,” Hindustan Times quoted director general of meteorology at IMD, M Mohapatra as saying.

In Delhi, the maximum temperature is likely to drop by 2°C-3°C on days the storm hits. 

“The temperature in Delhi was forecast to rise and is likely to stay in this range for the next few days. Parts of the national capital region (NCR) are seeing a heat wave and the maximum is unlikely to go down much. A dust storm is expected to hit NCR from Rajasthan in the next 48 hours,” a senior Met official said.