Storm expected to lash south Maharashtra coast starting Friday, may lead to cyclone

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted the formation of a low-pressure zone over the Arabian Sea starting Friday (May 14)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted the formation of a low-pressure zone over the Arabian Sea starting Friday (May 14). This weather condition is then expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm by May 16, prompting IMD to issue yellow-category storm warnings for parts of Madhya Maharashtra and the southern end of Konkan coast. This is not expected to have significant impact over Mumbai and north Konkan.

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“Squally weather with wind speed reaching 45­55 kilo metre per hour (kmph) is very likely to prevail along and off South Maharashtra-Goa coasts on May 15 and 16. Sea conditions will be rough to very rough over South Maharashtra-Goa coasts on May 15 and 16. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas during the above period,” IMD’s regional forecasting centre said in a statement Wednesday.

The storm “is very likely to move north to north-westwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over east central Arabian Sea around May 16 and continue to move north-north-westwards for some more time with further intensification,” it cautioned.

IMD has issued a yellow alert with a forecast of thunderstorm with lightning, rain and gusty winds at isolated places in Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Ahmednagar, Kolhapur, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Beed, Nanded, Latur, Osmanabad for May 14 and 15. This may also bring some relief to these districts from the summer heat. For Mumbai, however, partly cloudy skies are expected to prevail, with a near normal temperature (about 34 degrees Celsius daytime maximum) for the next few days.

Orange category (ie heavy rainfall) alerts have been issued for Lakshadweep Islands from May 13 to May 15, along with the possibility of a tidal wave occurrence. Parts of Kerala, Karnatake and Tamil Nadu are expected to receive isolated but heavy bouts of rain over the next four days.