Cylone `Laila' to cause heavy rains

Cyclone Laila looms large, heads for Andhra coast

Cyclone Laila, this year's first cyclone in the making, gathered strength on Tuesday, but Chennai is likely to escape the full fury of the storm, as officials of the Indian Meteorological Department have forecast it would cross the coast between Ongole and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh by Thursday. The Met office has issued a cyclone warning to ports and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea.

Squally weather with wind speeds of 50 to 60 km per hour, and scattered rainfall over Chennai, Cuddalore, Kancheepuram and Thiruvalluvar districts are expected on Wednesday. Against initial expectations of a north-westerly movement towards Andhra Pradesh, the system, which developed from a depression to a cyclone, moved in a westerly direction almost heading towards Chennai on Tuesday. The city was enveloped by clouds, and although day temperature touched 36 degree Celsius, the cloud cover kept radiation at bay, much to the relief of Chennaiites. Light rains in the evening came as a bonus.

Met officials were surprised at the speed with which the cyclone moved on Tuesday. "Normally systems move at a speed of 10 km per hour, but Laila moved at more than 20 km per hour," said regional meteorological centre deputy director general YEA Raj. "At 6.30pm on Tuesday, the system was located 400 km east of Chennai and is expected to move in a westerly, north-westerly and then northerly direction," he added.

The spatial extent of the system was another reason for its wide reach. With a north-south boundary of over 600km, and a radius of 350km, Laila's arms spanned a wider area, resulting in a one-degree drop in the city temperature on Tuesday.

The direction the cyclone takes is likely to have an impact on Chennai's temperature. Last year, two cyclonic systems had moved in a northerly direction, and temperatures rose considerably in the city. When Cyclone Bijli' arrived on April 14, temperature rose to 37.9 degrees Celsius from 34.8 degrees the previous day. When Aila, the second cyclone arrived on May 23, day temperature rose to 40.3 degrees Celsius, a six-degree rise over the previous day. It hovered around 40 degrees in the following days. "If Cyclone Laila moves in a northerly direction, as shown by dynamical and numerical forecast, Chennai will once again experience hot days, probably two or three degrees than normal," added Raj.

However, Wednesday is likely to be pleasant, with isolated to heavy rainfall likely over north coastal districts including Chennai.