Cyclone Vardah threats have been taken seriously by Tamil Nadu government which has declared tomorrow to be a holiday. Check the press release on Cyclone Vardah :
R.Pradeep John (PJ) who goes by Tamil Nadu Weatherman said this about the Cyclone Vardah:
“Chennai will see landfall of Severe Cyclone with 100km/hr winds since 1994 and Heavy to very heavy rains to lash City, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram areas close to coast.”
He further noted this about Cyclone Vardah and said that:
So after 22 years, a cyclone is again threatening Chennai and i have a feel that we are going to record 100 km/hr winds tomorrow when vardha makes landfall close to Chennai or over Chennai itself. The cyclone is having an eye and intensifying and when it come close to Chennai as a very severe Cyclone it will be close to its peak intensity and then just before landfall it weakens a bit and still it will make landfall as a cylonic storm or even as Severe Cyclonic Storm. There will be heavy rains starting from tonight with increase in intensity upto the landfall time at evening. Not only Chennai, but Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts and partly vellore will also get rains to heavy rains. There will be storm surge at some places so better stay off areas close to sea. One or two locations may experience extremely heavy rainfall too.
What can we do tomorrow ?
Normally i would not post this, i am advising children to bunk school, if its a working day. For Adults, bunk office if you can. Its one day in a year during which heavy spells are expected so lets see off tomorrow and not take any chances. Nothing is more peaceful to have cup of coffee or tea viewing the rains thoughout the day from Balcony. Dont go to beach tomorrow there will be storm surge. During Cyclone Thane in 2011, sea waters reached upto Beach Road (Kamarajar Salai). Further, inform in any possible way for fisherman not to venture into sea. Dont park your car or hide under a tree tomorrow. I am expecting 10000% power cut tomorrow at many places in Chennai. So charge your mobiles and laptops or whatever etc etc.
I will be there throught day and night till the cyclone make landfall. One request dont ask will it be like December 1st, 2015…the sceanrio of 2015 was different and now we need rains…..no…..we need very heavy rains for water to run off into our lakes. After this one more system to follow. Vardah has given me some hope on NEM rainfall of 2016. It still cant make up for the lost rains in October and November.