Tropical Cyclone Ditwah continued to spin near Sri Lanka on Friday. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Friday the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was located at latitude 8.8°N and longitude 80.8°E which put the center about 85 miles (135 km) south-southeast of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Ditwah was moving toward the north-northwest at 4 m.p.h. (6 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.
The center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was still over northern Sri Lanka on Friday morning. The fact that the center of Ditwah’s circulation was still over land combined with the effects of vertical wind shear to cause the distribution of thunderstorms to be asymmetrical. Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern and western parts of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah. Bands in the southern and eastern parts of Ditwah’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.
The strongest winds in Tropical Cyclone Ditwah were occurring over the southwestern Bay of Bengal. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 110 miles (175 km) from the center of Ditwah’s circulation. The winds were much weaker over land.
Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification when the center of its circulation moves back over the southwestern Bay of Bengal in a few hours. Ditwah will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move under the western part of an upper level ridge that is over Southeast Asia and the Bay of Bengal. The upper level ridge will produce southeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Ditwah’s circulation. Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear. The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification but the shear may not be enough to prevent some intensification. Tropical Cyclone Ditwah could intensify a little during the next 24 hours even with moderate vertical wind shear, when the center of its circulation moves back over water.
Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the Bay of Bengal. The high pressure system will steer Ditwah toward the north-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move north of Sri Lanka in a few hours. Ditwah could reach the coast of Tamil Nadu during the weekend.
Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will continue to affect Sri Lanka and southern India. Ditwah will bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. There were reports that flooding in Sri Lanka had already caused fatalities.