Ahead Of Sankranti, IMD Issues Cyclone Warning For Several Ports In Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam: Ahead of Makar Sankranti, a cyclonic threat looms large over the southern states. Meteorologists said a deep depression near the equator in the southeast Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm by Wednesday morning.

By evening, it was centred 570 km from Pottuvil (Sri Lanka), 620 km from Batticaloa (Sri Lanka), 990 km from Karaikal (Tamil Nadu), and 1,140 km from Chennai. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said it is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Thursday and move in a west-northwesterly direction over the next 48 hours. Due to its influence, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

In view of the cyclonic storm, the cyclone warning centre has issued a Category I warning for Visakhapatnam, Machilipatnam, Nizampatnam, Krishnapatnam, Gangavaram, and Kakinada ports. The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority said light to moderate rainfall is likely in Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore, Annamayya, Chittoor, and Tirupati districts on Saturday and Sunday.

Normally, the northeast monsoon season withdraws by December 31. According to meteorological data, the formation of depressions and cyclones in the Bay of Bengal is significantly less frequent in January and February compared to other months. Between 1891 and 2024, two severe cyclones, six cyclones, and 12 depressions have formed, with the majority making landfall in Sri Lanka.

It is noteworthy that all but three of these systems formed before the Sankranthi festival, of which only one made landfall in Andhra Pradesh.

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