Cyclone Gaja is likely to cross the Tamil Nadu coast between Cuddalore district and Pamban, in Ramanathapuram district, in the forenoon of Thursday
On Monday evening, the cyclonic storm lay over the Bay of Bengal, about 720 km east-northeast of Chennai and 800 km east-northeast of Nagapattinam. Though it is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the open seas, it is set to weaken gradually, and cross the coast only as a cyclonic storm. It is likely to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places over seven districts in the State on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the India Meteorological Department. Weather models indicate moderate rainfall over Chennai during those days.
Heavy rain forecast
Named by Sri Lanka, it is the 55th tropical cyclone since the naming convention started in 2004. While rainfall is expected over most parts of north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, a few places in districts such as Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Karaikal, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai may experience heavy to very heavy rainfall, scaling up to 24 cm on Wednesday and Thursday.
Code red
One or two places in these districts may also receive rainfall in excess of 24.4 cm, for which a red colour-coded warning has been issued. “Such colour-coded weather warnings are given for agencies involved in disaster management to be prepared even if extremely heavy rainfall is likely to occur in one or two places of the State. A red colour-coded warning for a State does not mean that the entire State is facing a threat of extremely heavy rainfall,” said S. Balachandran, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Chennai.
Gale-force winds reaching speeds of 80-90 km per hour may prevail along and off north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts and fishermen have been advised not to venture out to sea till Thursday. As the cyclone moves inland, south Tamil Nadu and interior parts may also experience heavy rain on November 16. A storm surge of a height of 1 metre is expected in Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and Karaikal districts during the cyclone’s landfall.
However, Mr.Balachandran said: “Chances are less for heavy rains over Chennai. We may have moderate rain spells when the cyclone crosses the coast.”
S.R. Ramanan, former director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said the cyclone may help boost the State’s seasonal rainfall. The system is likely reach Cochin as a depression. “Chennai may have more chances of rainfall as a new system may form near Sri Lanka after this system,” he added.
