Low pressure area over Indian Ocean

A low pressure area over the Indian Ocean has become well-marked and was likely to cross the Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Nagapattinam on Tuesday. 

The low pressure area has already intensified as a deep depression, bringing in heavy rain in parts of the state, the India meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

The low pressure area over equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal had become “well-marked” and lay over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka, an IMD bulletin said. “The system is likely to move northwestwards and concentrate into a depression during next 24 hours.

It is likely to continue northwestwards and further concentrate into a deep depression and cross Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Nagapattinam around May 17 morning,” it said. The weather office forecast “heavy to very heavy rain” likely at 1 or 2 places in Tamil Nadu and Puduchery on May 17 even as many parts in the state received good amounts of rainfall, bringing respite from the scorching May heat.

Already several interior parts in the state have started receiving summer rain.