IMD alert: These states to witness rains, cyclonic storm over the weekend

Even as a cyclonic storm looms over south Andaman Sea with a possibility of becoming a Low Pressure Area today, two different systems brought bountiful rains over east and northeast India and many parts of southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu on Thursday. Under the influence of an east-west trough from northwest Madhya Pradesh to Meghalaya and southwesterly winds from Bay of Bengal in lower tropospheric levels, scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall is very likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura during next five days with isolated thunderstorm/lightning over the region on Friday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

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Isolated to scattered light/moderate rainfall is very likely over Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Sikkim, and Odisha during next five days with isolated thunderstorm/ lightning/gusty winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph) over the region today,it added. Due to trough/wind discontinuity over peninsular India in lower tropospheric levels, scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall with thunderstorm/lightning/gusty winds are very likely over Kerala, Mahe, south interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal and isolated rainfall activity over coastal and north interior Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana during next five days. Meanwhile, a cyclonic circulation lies over South Andaman Sea and neighbourhood. Under its influence, a Low Pressure Area (LPA) is likely to form over the same region on May 6. It is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify gradually into a Depression during subsequent 48 hours.

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Under its influence, heavy rainfall at isolated places are very likely over Nicobar Islands and heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over Andaman and Nicobar Islands during May 6-8. Fishermen have been issued warning for squally weather with wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, very likely to prevail over Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast and east-central Bay of Bengal on Thursday to squally weather with wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph likely to prevail over central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal and (speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph) over Andaman Sea on May 8.