Cyclone Ditwah lost strength on Sunday night as it tracked northwards close to the Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coastline, prompting the Puducherry administration to declare a holiday for all schools on December 1. The weather system is expected to edge even closer to the coast this morning, bringing rain, squally winds and rough sea conditions.

In its Sunday 10 pm communique, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Cyclonic Storm Ditwah had weakened into a deep depression after moving northwards at 5 kmph over the southwest Bay of Bengal and the adjoining north Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coast.

At 5.30 pm on November 30, the system was centred near 11.8°N and 80.6°E, roughly:

  • 90 km east of Cuddalore
  • 130 km northeast of Karaikal
  • 90 km east-southeast of Puducherry
  • 180 km north-northeast of Vedaranniyam
  • 140 km south-southeast of Chennai

The closest distance from the coastline was around 80 km.

The IMD said the system is “very likely to move nearly northwards parallel to the North Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coasts” and weaken further into a depression today. By midnight Sunday, it was expected to be within 40 km of the coast, narrowing to 20 km by Monday morning. Doppler Weather Radars in Karaikal and Chennai continue to track its movement.

Puducherry announces school holiday

Puducherry Home and Education Minister A Namassivayam announced that all schools, including private and government-aided institutions across all four regions of the Union Territory, will remain closed on December 1.

The minister said the holiday had been declared as a precaution, with heavy rain expected under the influence of Cyclone Ditwah. He added that further arrangements are being monitored by the administration.

The IMD reaffirmed that the weakened system is likely to hover close to the coastline, around 20 km away, today morning.

The name “Ditwah”, suggested by Yemen, refers to a lagoon and is linked to the Detwah Lagoon on the northwest coast of Socotra.

RMC update and distance forecast

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), the cyclone moved almost parallel to the coast through Sunday before weakening into a deep depression by night. By midnight on November 30, the system was forecast to remain over the southwest Bay of Bengal at a minimum distance of about 30 km from the north Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coastline.

What to expect on (December 1)

The RMC has forecast light to moderate rain at isolated places across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry–Karaikal, with thunderstorms and lightning likely at a few locations.

Heavy rain is expected in Tiruvallur district.

Wind speeds are projected to ease gradually, becoming squally at 45–55 kmph with gusts up to 65 kmph. Sea conditions are likely to improve steadily, turning very rough to rough by morning and easing further through the day.