IMD warns of approaching depression near Chennai as northeast monsoon activity begins
Oct 15, 2024
New Delhi [India], October 15 : The low-pressure areas over the southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal have moved west-northwestwards, increasing the depression in the region, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday.
As per IMD, this depression had laid centre as of 5:30 PM today over the southwest Bay of Bengal, abut 490 kilometres from the east-southeast of Chennai in Tamil Nadu.
The IMD further stated that the depression is likely to move west-northwestwards and cross the north of Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Nellore and will reach near Chennai during early morning of October 17.
"The well marked low pressure area over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards, intensified into a Depression and lay centered at 1730 hours IST of today, the 15th October 2024, over southwest Bay of Bengal near latitude 11.4° N and longitude 84.4° E, about 490 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 500 km east-southeast of Puducherry and 590 km southeast of Nellore (Andhra Pradesh). It is likely to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu - South Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Nellore, close to Chennai during early morning of 17th October as a depression," the IMD said in a post in X.
The IMD further stated that the depression over the west-central Arabian Sea off the Oman coast had also moved towards northwestward and laid centred at 5:30 pm today over the same region, about 180 kilometres southeast of Duqm in Onam.
The IMD further stated that the depression is likely to move north-westwards and cross the Onam coast close to Duqm during the early hours of October 16.
"The depression over the westcentral Arabian Sea off the Oman coast moved northwestwards with a speed of 23 kmph during the past 6 hours, and lay centred at 1730 hours IST of today, the 15th October 2024, over the same region near latitude 18.3°N and longitude 58.8°E, about 180 km southeast of Duqm (Oman), 260 km south of Masirah (Oman) and 520 km east-northeast of Salalah (Oman). It is likely to move nearly north-westwards and cross Oman coast close to Duqm (Oman) during early hours of tomorrow, the 16th October," the IMD stated. 
This development comes following the commencement of northeast monsoon rainfall activity over southeast peninsular India.
