The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday declared in its afternoon bulletin a pre-cyclone watch for the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts as cyclone 'Gati' has popped up over the South-West Arabian Sea far away from India's coastlines.
IMD further stated that the extreme south peninsula of India is expected to receive heavy rainfall from Monday due to a low-pressure area which is likely to concentrate into a depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours.
"Rainfall activity is likely to increase over extreme south Peninsula from November 23 onwards with fairly widespread to widespread activity over Tamil Nadu during 24th-26th November, over south Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalseema and Telangana on November 25 and 26," the weather department said in its bulletin.
It has become well-marked and is expected to concentrate into a depression over South-West Bay by Monday and intensify further into a cyclone by Tuesday. It is likely to move north-westwards and cross the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram on Wednesday afternoon.
According to IMD's cyclone data, between 2015 and 2020 the frequency of cyclone development in the Arabian Sea is increasing.
Meanwhile on the east coast, a simultaneous cyclone is brewing in the southern region of Bay of Bengal just off Tamil Nadu. For over two days now, this has remained as a low pressure system but is now set to intensify into a depression. It would strengthen to form a cyclone most likely by November 24.
Furthermore, the fishing community in the southeast has been warned against venturing into the sea till November 25.
