Cyclone Vardah set to hit Andhra Pradesh by Friday

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh is set to face the impending severe cyclonic storm “Vardah”. The IMD cleared the air on Thursday over the weather system’s landfall saying that it may cross the coast somewhere between Kakinada and Nellore by December 12.

Wednesday’s depression, which had remained practically stationary till Wednesday night, had intensified twice over in strength during night to become cyclone Vardah on Thursday.

The cyclone would take the form of a severe cyclone by Friday. However, the weather system may slightly or noticeably weaken before it makes landfall in AP due to high vertical wind shear, lower sea surface temperature and ocean thermal energy near AP coast.

The system is currently located about 1,040 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 1,135 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam. Within one day after it crosses the coast, the system would further wind down to a low pressure due to no favourable factors thereafter. Under the influence of the ongoing weather system, AP may witness moderate rains from December 10, Saturday, onwards.

The intensity of rainfall would increase from December 11. However, the weather system would have no effect on Telangana state and dry weather would prevail over TS up to December 15.

Squally winds reaching a speed of 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, would prevail along and off coastal Andhra Pradesh from December 11. Officials at the Cyclone Warning Centre, Visakhapatnam, advised the fishermen to not venture into the sea along and off coastal AP from December 10 and those who were in the sea to return to the coast before December 10.

Telangana not to be affected by storm
Telangana will not be affected by Cyclone Vardah, local weather bureau authorities forecast with dry weather condition for TS. Director of Indian Meteorological department Mr Y.K. Reddy explained, “Yesterday’s depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved further northwards and intensified into a deep depression and lay centered over southeast Bay of Bengal. It moved northwards and intensified into a cyclonic storm Vardah that lay centered over southeast Bay of Bengal. Further it  moved northwards, about 1,040 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 1135 km east-southeast of Machi-lipatnam, 360 km northwest of Car Nicobar and 240 km from Port Blair. The system is very likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hours. It is very likely to move nearly northwards for some more time, then northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Kakinada around forenoon/ noon of 12th December 2016. There is possibility of slight weakening of the system before landfall” .   

With regard to minimum temperatures, No large change over Telangana. They were appreciably below normal at one or two places over Telangana. The Lowest Minimum Temperature of 09 deg cel was recorded at Adilabad.
Ends /Coreena/ 7. 20 PM