Low pressure over Arabian Sea to turn into cyclone, hit Guj, Maha coast

The weather forecaster predicted that the sea is likely to be rough to very rough over the southeast & adjoining east-central Arabian Sea and the Lakshadweep area during the next 24 hours

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday that a low-pressure area over southeast and adjoining the east-central Arabian Sea was likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm in 24 hours and would move towards Gujarat and north Maharashtra coast by the evening of June 3. 

"Under the influence of the first system, light to moderate rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy falls is very likely over the Lakshadweep area, Kerala and coastal Karnataka on May 31 and June 1," the IMD said in its latest bulletin. 

Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph and gusting to 65 kmph is likely to prevail over the southeast & adjoining east-central Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area and off the Kerala coast during the next 48 hours. It will gradually intensify into a gale with wind speed reaching 65-75 kmph and gusting to 85 kmph over the east-central Arabian Sea and off the Karnataka- south Maharashtra coasts. The IMD added that the wind speed was likely to reach 90-100 kmph by June 2. 

People watch as waves crash along the shore in Balasore district. Photo: PTI

The weather forecaster predicted that sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough over the southeast & adjoining east-central Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area during the next 24 hours. It would become very rough to high over east-central & southeast Arabian Sea and off the Karnataka- south Maharashtra coasts from June 2. 

The IMD has issued a warning to fisherman and advised them not to venture into the southeast Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area, and off the Kerala coast till June 1. Fishermen out at sea are advised to return to coasts by today. 

Meanwhile, IMD maintained that monsoon has not reached the Kerala coast yet. "We are regularly monitoring it. We are going ahead with our earlier forecast that conditions will be favourable for monsoon, June 1 onward," Mrityunjay Mohapatra, DG IMD said. 

IMD maintained that monsoon has not reached the Kerala coast yet. File Photo

Heatwave unlikely in NCR till June 8

In a major relief for north India, the IMD said that the heatwave was not expected to return to Delhi-NCR before June 8, as another western disturbance was expected to affect the weather in northwest India in the next three to four days. On Saturday, a partly cloudy sky kept the mercury in check in the national capital, and similar conditions are expected over the next 24 hours.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the India Meteorological Department's regional forecasting center said that the effect of the current western disturbance and easterly winds would reduce significantly by Sunday evening. He said the maximum temperature in Delhi-NCR was likely to increase by two to four degrees Celsius from June 1 to June 3. "However, the mercury will remain below 40 degrees Celsius in most places, and heatwave conditions will not return," Srivastava said.