A cyclone is likely to hit the southern coastal state of Tamil Nadu on December 4, the Cyclone Warning Division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.

In case of its landfall, it would be recorded as the second cyclone in a week.

The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm by late Tuesday night, the IMD said.

"It is very likely to cross the Sri Lanka coast close to Trincomalee during the evening or night of December 2 as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 75-85 kilometres per hour gusting to 95 mph", the IMD's Cyclone Warning Division said to PTI.

"It is very likely to move nearly westwards thereafter, emerge into Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area on 3rd December morning. It would then move nearly west-southwestwards and cross south Tamil Nadu coast between Kanyakumari and Pamban around early morning of 4th December", it said.