The deep depression that is currently lying centred on the Bay of Bengal is likely to weaken over the next 48 hours and the state will, most probably, be spared another Nilam-like cyclone.
However, taking into account the devastating heavy rains that followed Cyclone Nilam, the Met Office took no chances and warned of heavy rains under the influence of low pressure.
“The system will slowly move west-south-westwards towards south Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu coasts and weaken gradually over the next 48 hours,” said Met Department sources.
Under the influence of the system, moderate rainfall will occur at many places over south coastal Andhra Pradesh, north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on November 20 and 21 and isolated heavy rainfall on November 21.
Though initial predictions by the Indian Metrological Department suggested that the depression may intensify into a cyclonic storm, the agency altered its warning by Sunday evening.
According to the latest bulletin, the depression is about 800 km east-northeast off the coast of Chennai, 500 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 500 km south-southeast of Paradip.
The IMD warned that sea conditions along and off the state’s coast would be rough to very rough during next 48 hours and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea.
Sources said the Indian Metrological Department waited for its radars located in Visakhapatnam, Machilipatnam and Chennai to make clear predictions over the intensity of depression though the Joint Typhoon Warning Center of the United States naval authorities had predicted the weakening of the system much in advance.