Cyclone Ockhi: First tropical storm of the season in Arabian Sea likely to intensify further

As a deep depression intensified into Cyclone Ockhi on Thursday afternoon, the IMD stepped up its measures to issue warnings across platforms about  heavy to very heavy rainfall  over the next 48 hours regions in the Lakshadweep islands and parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Skymet Weather reported that the development of Ockhi made it the first tropical storm of the season to develop in the Arabian Sea. Ockhi may intensify into a severe cyclonic storm At 1 pm on Thursday, the IMD notified that the deep depression was centered near Latitude 7.5°N and Longitude 77.5°E, about 340 kilometre west-northwest of Galle in Sri Lanka, 60 kilometre south of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, 120 kilometre south west of Thiruvananthapuram and 480 kilometre east-south east of Minicoy in Lakshadweep.

The system is likely to move west-northwestwards towards Lakshadweep and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours, according to the IMD. Chief Meteorologist at Skymet Weather Mahesh Palawat said that the system is travelling in warm waters as Arabian Sea surface temperatures are as warm as 30°C. “Besides this, vertical wind shear is also low. Both the factors will keep the conditions conducive for further intensification of the system into a severe cyclonic storm,” he said. Ockhi, which was named by Bangladesh, is expected to further intensify.  The Hindu  reported that the cyclone will damage power and communication lines and thatched huts, as it will gust up to 85 kmph along and off the south Tamil Nadu coast, particularly along Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram districts. The IMD has said that Ockhi would stay as a severe cyclonic storm out in the east-central Arabian Sea till early morning on Sunday. The IMD has not predicted the behaviour, strength or intensity of the storm beyond 3 December, reported The Hindu Business Line . In view of the cyclone, the IMD has issued a notification on its website. The IMD’s website also has listed certain do’s and dont’s  to follow during the time of a cyclone. Click here for LIVE updates on weather