The deep depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal has become a Cyclonic Storm 1B, albeit a mild one, as per the worldwide agencies of JTWC and CIMSS. As it was pre-empted, the system has strengthened lying near 11.5°N and longitude 84°E, NE of Trincomalee, ESE of Nagappattinam, ESE of Puducherry and about SSE of Chennai.
However, the storm is not expected to intensify much and will not pick up pace further. One of the reasons being that the heat potential is just marginal and the sea surface temperature is just about 28 degrees, which is around the threshold value. Along with this, since the storm is getting closer to the coast of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, the proximity with land will arrest its further intensification. Also, the wind shear over this region is on the higher side, which will further restrict its growth.
Inclement weather conditions are expected to be seen over Tamil Nadu for some time along with rains, thundershowers and squally winds right from Nagapattinam to Chennai, spilling over to southern coastal parts of Andhra Pradesh including Ongole and Nellore etc. The storm will not have any direct impact on the coastlines and it does not hold much damage potential as such apart from inclement weather.
As we move towards evening and night, clouds will keep getting denser, thereby resulting in an increase in weather activities. The system will not travel deep inland and will remain over the sea itself. Initially, the system will move northwards, later moving a little south-westward causing the storm to weaken over the sea itself.
The worldwide agencies have named the storm as 01B, B, since it's formed in the Bay of Bengal and 01 because first storm of this year over Indian seas. The official names of the storms are given by IMD, as and when the meteorological agency declares, the cyclone will be named as Asani.
