Cyclone ‘PHETHAI’ warning for Andhra Pradesh & Puducherry Coasts

The Cyclonic storm ‘PHETHAI’ over southwest Bay of Bengal moved further north-northwestwards with a speed of 16kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 0830 hrs IST of 16^th December, 2018 over southwest & adjoining West central Bay of Bengal near latitude 11.8°N and longitude 84.0°E, about 460 km northeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 430 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu),560 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 600 km south-southeast Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh).It is very likely to intensify further into a Severe Cyclonic Storm during next 24 hours.It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kakinada during 17^th December afternoon. However, due to unfavourable environmental conditions, it is likely to weaken slightly before landfall and cross coast as a cyclonic storm.

Forecast track and intensity are given in the following table:

Date/Time(IST)	Position(Lat.°N/ long.°E)	Maximum sustained surface wind speed (Kmph)	Category of cyclonic disturbance
16.12.18/0830	11.8/84.0	80-90 gusting to 100	Cyclonic Storm
16.12.18/1130	12.1/83.7	85-95 gusting to 105	Cyclonic Storm
16.12.18/1730	13.0/83.0	90-100 gusting to 110	Severe Cyclonic Storm
16.12.18/2330	13.9/82.6	90-100 gusting to 110	Severe Cyclonic Storm
17.12.18/0530	14.9/82.4	80-90 gusting to 100	Cyclonic Storm
17.12.18/1730	16.4/82.3	70-80 gusting to 90	Cyclonic Storm
18.12.18/0530	17.8/82.8	55-65 gusting to 75	Deep Depression
18.12.18/1730	18.6/83.5	40-50 gusting to 60	Depression

Warnings:

1. Heavy rainfall warning

• Rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places very likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh on 16^th& 17^th December. Extremely heavy falls (≥ 20 cm) at isolated places also likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh on 17^th December. Rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places likely over adjoining districts of north Tamil Nadu on 16^th December.
• Rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places on 16^th and rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy falls likely over Odisha on 17^thand heavy falls at isolated places over south Chhattisgarh on 16^th& 17^th December. Rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places also likely over Jharkhand on 17^th December.
• Rainfall at most places with heavy falls at isolated places likely over Gangetic West Bengal on 17^th December.

2. Wind warning for Andhra Pradesh, north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Odisha coasts

• Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph prevails along & off South Andhra Pradesh, north Tamilnadu& Puducherry coasts. It is very likely to increase gradually becoming gale wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph along & off central Andhra Pradesh coast and Yanam district of Puducherry on 17^th December.Gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph is likely to prevail along & off remaining parts of Andhra Pradesh coast and squally wind speed 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely to prevail along & off north Tamilnadu & Puducherry coasts on 17^th December.
• Strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50kmph likely along & off South Odisha coast on 17^th December.

3. Wind warning for Sea areas

• Gale wind speed reaching 80-90kmph gusting to 100 kmph prevails over southwest & adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal.  It is very likely to become gale wind speed reaching 80-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph over westcentral Bay of Bengal on 17^th December.
• Strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50kmph likely over northwest Bay of Bengal on 17^th December.

4. Sea condition

The sea condition is high over southwest & adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal around system center. The sea condition is very likely to be high to very high over westcentral & adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal from 16^th evening to 17^th December. It is rough to very rough along & off south Andhra Pradesh, north Tamil Nadu & Puducherry coasts and will become very rough to high along & off central Andhra Pradesh coast and Yanam district of Puducherry from 16^th evening to 17^th December evening.

5. Storm Surge Warning

Storm surge of height of about 0.5 m to 1.0 m above the astronomical tides likely to inundate the low lying areas of Coastal Andhra Pradesh (East & west Godavari, Vishakhapatnam, Krishna and Guntur Districts) and Yanam district of Puducherry at the time of landfall.