Cyclone Mandous to hit AP coast today

Visakhapatnam: Cyclone Mandous would reach the southwest Bay of Bengal by Wednesday evening, the weatherman has predicted.

The well-marked low pressure formed over southeast Bay of Bengal at 8.30am on Tuesday moved west-northwestwards and concentrated into a depression over southeast  Bay of  Bengal by the evening. Thereafter, it is likely to move west-northwestwards, intensify further into a cyclonic storm by Wednesday evening and reach southwest Bay of Bengal off north Tamil Nadu­, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by Thursday  morning, IMD Amaravati said.
 
It will continue to move west northwestwards towards north Tamil Nadu, ­Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during the subsequent 48 hours.

Lower tropospheric northeasterly/ easterly winds are prevailing over Andhra Pradesh and Yanam.  Under the system’s influence, heavy rain is likely at isolated places in south coastal Andhra Pradesh.
 
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely at isolated places in SCAP and Rayalaseema. Strong winds with a speed of 40-50kmph gusting to 60kmph are likely at isolated places in SCAP.  Heavy to very Heavy rain is likely at isolated places in SCAP and Rayalaseema.

“Heavy rains are likely on December 9 and December 10 with a wind speed of 70 kmph gusting up to 90kmph along and off the coast while the system comes closer to the coast,’’ said director of IMD, Amaravati Stella S.

She said Chittoor, Tirupati, Prakasam and Guntur would receive heavy showers on December 9 and 10. North Andhra as also the East and West Godavari districts would get heavy rainfall on December 10.