Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai
Chennai, Oct 25: Cyclone warning signal No. 1 has been hoisted at nine ports across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as a weather system over the Bay of Bengal gathers strength and is expected to develop into a cyclone on Monday, officials said.
The ports placed under the preliminary warning are Chennai, Ennore, Kattupalli, Cuddalore, Thoothukudi, Pamban, Nagapattinam, Puducherry and Karaikal.
The warning comes amid strong winds and forecasts of further intensification of the system over the next two days.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the low-pressure area over the central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a well-marked low-pressure area on Saturday. It is expected to strengthen into a depression and subsequently a deep depression on Sunday before developing into a cyclone on Monday.
The system is likely to continue moving west-northwestwards, with further intensification expected as it advances across the Bay of Bengal towards the Andhra Pradesh coast.
The weather system may cross the coast near Andhra Pradesh on the morning of October 28. However, the precise timing and location of the landfall remain part of the ongoing forecast.
Signal No. 1 represents the preliminary stage of the port warning system. It indicates the presence of a weather disturbance with conditions favourable for cyclone formation, alerting vessels and others using the ports to the developing situation.
Although strong winds may prevail in the vicinity of the system, the signal does not necessarily mean that the port displaying it is expected to be directly affected.
The distinction is important as the warning indicates a developing weather disturbance rather than an immediate threat to the harbour.
Ports use a system of 11 numbered warning signals to communicate different levels of weather-related danger. These signals indicate the nature and severity of potential threats, allowing changing conditions at sea to be conveyed through a recognised visual system.
The method of displaying the warnings varies between day and night. During daylight hours, ports use cone-shaped structures made of bamboo to indicate the designated signal, while coloured lights are used after dark.