New low pressure area likely over Bay of Bengal, no heavy rains expected in TN this week
Chennai: A new low-pressure area is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal on Sunday, but no heavy rain is in store for Tamil Nadu, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, said.
The system, which is currently developing over the southern parts of Myanmar and the adjoining Andaman Sea, is expected to intensify further during the next 24 hours, it said.
In its latest weather bulletin, the RMC said: “The existing cyclonic circulation over the southern Myanmar and adjoining Andaman Sea is likely to strengthen and evolve into a low-pressure area over the same region today.”
However, it clarified that there is no forecast of heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu for the next seven days.
Meteorologists said that the system’s movement and intensity will determine whether it could develop into a depression or further strengthen into a cyclone over the Bay of Bengal in the coming days.
For now, it is expected to move northwestward, bringing isolated showers to coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu later this week, if conditions remain favourable.
Meanwhile, in a separate update, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the low-pressure area over the east-central Arabian Sea, which persisted since October 31, has now weakened.
The system, which moved east-northeastwards, became a well-marked low-pressure area on Saturday morning and continues to linger over the same region.
According to the IMD, this weakening system is likely to drift northeastwards toward the north-eastern Arabian Sea and south Gujarat coast over the next 24 hours, possibly developing again into a minor low-pressure zone before dissipating.
Despite the evolving weather systems on both sides of the Indian peninsula, officials emphasised that Tamil Nadu will experience generally dry weather through the week, with only light or moderate rain expected in isolated pockets.
Chennai and nearby districts are forecast to remain partly cloudy, with maximum temperatures around 35 degrees Celsius and minimum temperatures near 26 degrees Celsius.
Fishermen have been advised to remain cautious in the southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining Andaman Sea, where wind speeds may reach 35–45 kmph, occasionally gusting to 55 kmph due to the developing circulation. Meteorologists said further updates will be issued once the new system over the Bay of Bengal consolidates.
