Tropical Cyclone Mandous Makes Landfall in Southern India

Tropical Cyclone Mandous made landfall in southern India on Friday. At 4:00 p.m. EST on Friday the center of Tropical Cyclone Mandous was located at latitude 12.8°N and longitude 80.4°E which put it about 150 miles (240 km) southwest of Chennai, India. Mandous was moving toward the northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb.

The center of Tropical Cyclone Mandous made landfall on the coast of southern India between Chennai and Puducherry on Friday. Mandous moved into a mass of drier air and weakened prior to landfall. Tropical Cyclone Mandous was the equivalent of a tropical storm at the time of landfall. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Mandous’ circulation. The heaviest rain was falling in bands in the western half of Tropical Cyclone Mandous.

Tropical Cyclone Mandous will move around the southern side of a high pressure system over southern Asia. The high pressure system will steer Mandous toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Mandous move farther inland over southern India during the next 24 hours. Mandous will weaken gradually as it moves farther inland. Tropical Cyclone Mandous will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to parts of Puducherry, northern Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.