Deep depression brewing in Bay of Bengal, to head towards Odisha, West Bengal coasts

The prevailing weather system in the Bay of Bengal has concentrated into a depression and lay around 510kmsoutheast of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, as of Wednesday. It is expected to further intensity into a deep depression and head north-northwestwards from Thursday and move towards the Odisha and West Bengal coasts by the weekend, said the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, under the Indian Meteorological Department.

As a result of this weather system, parts of Northern Coastal Tamil Nadu have been receiving rainfall since Monday evening and such conditions are expected to prevail for a few days. This is also being referred to as the first widespread spell of rain during the ongoing North East Monsoon along India's East Coast.

"As on Wednesday morning, the depression lay centred over Westcentral Bay of Bengal, 650kms south-southeast of Paradip, Odisha and 790kms south of Digha, West Bengal. It is likely to move initially northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression off Andhra Pradesh on Thursday morning. Thereafter, it would recurve and reach off the Odisha coast on Friday morning and North Odisha-West Bengal coasts on Saturday," the RMC said, on the predicted progression of this meteorological feature.

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For the coming days, a moderate to heavy rainfall warning has been issued for the northern Tamil Nadu coast and Puducherry.

Fishers have been issued warning about adverse weather at sea, owing to the prevailing weather system. Gusty winds of 55kmph are forecast along the Tamil Nadu coast for the next two days. Later in the week, as the evolved weather system moves further towards the north, squally weather and wind speeds of 55kmph are forecast for the coasts of Odisha, West Bengal and Bangladesh.

Tuesday saw a significant amount of rainfall in Chennai, with most parts of the city and adjoining regions recording an average of 7-8cms rainfall. "Hit or miss rains today for Chennai to Pondicherry coasts," said private weather blogger Tamil Nadu Weatherman, about the likelihood of rainfall on Wednesday. He also pointed out that an upper air circulation near the southern top of the Indian landmass could bring rain to the southern parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.