News / Cyclone Fani to intensify into severe storm today

Cyclone Fani heading northwest, will recurve on April 30. Light rainfall expected in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Odisha. Recurving of Cyclone Fani may lead to heat wave in Tamil Nadu. Cyclone Fani is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Monday afternoon. The cyclone currently located above the southeast region of the Bay of Bengal is expected further intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday.

The cyclonic disturbance is moving northwestward at a speed of 21 kilometres per hour. Cyclone Fani will likely make way 300kms away from the Chennai coast, before heading north. It is eventually expected to recurve and move in the north-northeast direction post-Wednesday.

"The cyclone threat for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has subsided with the cyclone Fani keeping away from anywhere near the shores," said Indian Meteorological Department bulletin.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, sounded an alarm and prayed for everyone's safety.

While Cyclone Fani will not make landfall in Tamil Nadu, but it may bring light rain in the region.

Kerala is expected to get light to moderate rain at many places today and tomorrow and heavy rain in isolated pockets. A few places in north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh are predicted to have light to moderate showers for the next two days.

A few places in coastal Odisha are set to get moderate rainfall on May 2 and heavy rainfall on May 3.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai said cyclone threat to Tamil Nadu has abated. "There is no chance of Fani crossing the Tamil Nadu coast," Director of Area Cyclone Warning Centre S Balachandran told reporters in Chennai on Sunday.

Strong winds with speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph are likely to commence along and off the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast, Comorin area and Gulf of Mannar from Sunday. It will intensify a day later, the bulletin said."It is very likely to become squally with wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph and gusting to 70 kmph from the morning of April 30 along north Tamilnadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts. Strong wind with speed reaching 30-40 kmph and gusting to 50 kmph is likely to commence along and off Kerala coast from the evening of April 28," it said.

Fishermen warned

Fishermen have been asked not to venture into the deep sea in South East Bay and the adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean.

The IMD has advised fishermen along the coasts of Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry not to venture into the sea.

Those in the deep sea were advised to return to the coast, the IMD added.

With the threat from the cyclonic storm subsiding, scanty rainfall in some regions may provide no respite from the soaring temperatures in the region.

Many weather expert have pointed out that similar cyclonic storms in the past that have recurved have left the atmosphere high and dry, resulting in the temperature rising after they pass.

The recurving of the storm may lead to a heat wave in coastal regions of Tamil Nadu.