The well-marked low pressure area lingering in southwest Bay of Bengal since 5 days has finally turned into a depression. The system is showing a northward shift and is presently stationed at 10° N and 84° E latitudes, which is 500 km away from Chennai. In view of this system, rain remained confined to south coastal Tamil Nadu and the interiors received only traces of rain.
Environmental conditions including sea surface temperatures continue to remain favourable for its gradual intensification into a deep depression. At present the system seems to be drifting away from the coastline and will eventually skirt the Indian coast. In another 5 days, the system will finally make landfall near Myanmar or Bangladesh. The sea surface temperature is merely a shade lower in the northern latitudes, yet it will impact the system and help it to develop into a mild cyclonic storm as the trend of the system shows a northward drift.
With this drift, the rain belt will also move away from the Indian coast. However, heavy clouding will affect the coastal parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Odisha. This will not only pull down the day temperatures but also reduce the variation in diurnal temperatures.
Skymet Weather will keep following up on the latest developments of weather in South India in view of this system but as of now we can conclude that being in the equatorial belt, the system did not pick up much strength.
