Slow-Moving Cyclone Ditwah Triggers Rainfall in Tamil Nadu
The sluggish cyclonic storm, Ditwah, made its presence felt on Friday by bringing rainfall to several parts of southern Tamil Nadu. As the system inches closer, northern parts of the state, including the capital city of Chennai, are preparing for intense showers expected to arrive later in the weekend.
As of Friday evening, the storm was positioned approximately 490 kilometers south of Chennai. Its movement has been remarkably slow, having crawled across Sri Lanka and covering a mere 70 kilometers in 15 hours. The storm's speed had dropped to nearly 3 kilometers per hour, raising concerns about prolonged rainfall over the regions it passes.
Weather Alerts and Forecast for Coastal Districts
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued severe weather warnings for the region. A red alert for extremely heavy rain, indicating more than 20 centimeters in 24 hours, has been retained for one or two places in four coastal districts of northern Tamil Nadu. These include Chengalpet and the delta region, and the alert is active for November 29.
On the same day, Chennai and 13 adjoining districts are under an orange alert, signifying heavy to very heavy rainfall between 12 to 20 centimeters. The situation is expected to evolve on November 30, with Tiruvallur and Ranipet likely to receive extremely heavy spells, warranting another red alert. Chennai and six neighboring districts will likely remain under an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain. By December 1, significant rainfall is predicted to be largely confined to Tiruvallur.
Intensifying Winds and Expert Analysis
P Senthamarai Kannan, the director of the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RMC), provided details on the accompanying winds. He stated that wind speeds are expected to pick up from Saturday, reaching 70-80 kmph and gusting to 90 kmph over the delta region, adjoining coastal districts, Puducherry, and Karaikal as the storm moves along the coast.
"On Sunday, wind speeds may remain strong over north coastal Tamil Nadu from Tiruvallur to Cuddalore, and Puducherry, reaching 60-70 kmph and gusting to 80 kmph," he added. Over southern coastal Tamil Nadu, the delta districts, and the Karaikal area, winds may be around 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph.
Weather blogger Pradeep John offered further insight, noting that the storm may have lost some strength after interacting with land in Sri Lanka. However, he indicated it could regain intensity once it moves over the open sea, though it will face challenges from wind shear and dry air. "Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpet may receive the bulk of the rainfall on November 30 and some spells on November 29," John said.
Despite the looming storm, Friday was a bright and sunny day for Chennai. The Nungambakkam weather station recorded a maximum temperature of 30°C, the highest in the state, while Meenambakkam registered 29.6°C, both readings being near normal for this time of year. The city is expected to see generally cloudy skies on Saturday with heavy to very heavy rainfall, which may keep the maximum temperature around 29°C and the minimum near 24°C.
