Cyclonic Storm “FANI” to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during next 06 hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours

New Delhi: Yesterday’s cyclonic storm ‘FANI’ (pronounced as ‘FONI’) over southeast Bay of Bengal (BoB) & neighbourhood moved north-northwestwards during past 24 hours and lay centred at 0830 hrs IST of today, the 29^th April 2019 near latitude 8.7°N and longitude 86.9°E over the same region about 620 km east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 870 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 1040 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

It is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during next 06 hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours. It is very likely to move northwestwards till 01^st May evening and thereafter recurve north-northeastwards gradually.

Forecast track and intensity are given in the following table:

Warnings:

(i) Heavy rainfall warning

• Light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places very likely  over Kerala on 29^th & 30^th April, 2019. Light to moderate rainfall at a few places over north coastal Tamil Nadu & south coastal Andhra Pradesh on 29^th & 30^th April, 2019.

• Light to moderate rainfall at few places very likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh & south coastal Odisha on 2^nd May. It is likely to increase in intensity with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over coastal Odisha & adjoining districts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh from 3^rdMay. Light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places also very likely to commence over coastal districts of West Bengal from 3^rd May.

(ii) Wind warning

• Gale wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph is prevailing over southeast BoB & neighbourhood. It is very likely to increase gradually becoming 120-130 kmph gusting to 145 kmph over Southwest Bay of Bengal from 30^th morning and 160-170 kmph gusting to 185 kmph over southwest & adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal off north Tamilnadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh Coasts from 01^st May evening.
• Strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph very likely along & off Tamilnadu & Puducherry coast, Comorin area and Gulf of Mannar on today the 29^th April, becoming squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph from 30^th morning. It is very likely to become squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph from 30^th evening along north Tamilnadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh Coasts.
• Strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph very likely along & off Kerala coast on today the 29^thApril and becoming squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph on 30^th.
• Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is very likely to commence along & off north Andhra Pradesh & Odisha Coasts from 2^nd May and likely to become 50- 60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph from 3^rd May onwards over the same area.

(iii) Sea condition

• The sea condition is very high over southeast BoB & neighbourhood. It is likely to become phenomenal over southwest & adjoining westcentral BoB off north Tamilnadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts from 30^th morning and over westcentral BoB off Andhra Pradesh Coast during 1-3 May 2019.
• Sea condition is very likely to be rough to very rough along & off Puducherry, Tamilnadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts till 1^st May 2019, along & off north Andhra Pradesh coasts on 1-3 May and along & off Odisha coast from 2^nd May onwards.

(iv) Fishermen Warning

• The fishermen are advised not to venture into deep sea areas of southeast BoB & adjoining Equatorial Indian Ocean, southwest BoB and off Sri Lanka coast on today the 29^th April; southwest & adjoining westcentral BoB along & off Sri Lanka, Puducherry, Tamilnadu & south Andhra Pradesh coasts till 1^st May, westcentral BoB along & off north Andhra Pradesh coast during 1^st-3^rd May 2019 and northwest & adjoining westcentral BoB along & off Odisha coast from 2^nd May onwards.
• Those, who are out in deep sea in above areas are advised to return to the coasts.