A tropical cyclone could bring damaging winds and flooding rain to easternIndia at the end of the week.As of Thursday, a tropical weather system, formerly a tropical depression nearthe Malay Peninsula, was centered over the southern Bay of Bengal about 730miles east-southeast of Chennai (Madras), India.

This weather system will organize into a tropical depression and later, atropical cyclone, over the open Bay of Bengal by Friday.

Southern Bay of Bengal on Thursday,November 4 (Credit: JTWC)The latest information indicates that landfall of a cyclone of tropical stormor even hurricane strength is projected to take place on or about Sunday. It islikely landfall would be on the southeastern coast near the state borderbetween Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

The city of Chennai could be hit directly.

The greatest threat to life and property will stem from torrential rain andflooding, especially near the coast.

Also a threat will be damaging winds and even a flooding storm tide.

This tropical weather system already has a history of adverse weather. Ittriggered flooding rain over southernmost Thailand on Sunday and Monday.

By AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Jim Andrews