CHENNAI: After a prolonged delay, the rains have commenced over Coastal and South Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, adjoining areas of South coastal Andhra Pradesh and South Kerala on Thursday.
The Indian Meterological Department said conditions were favourable for commencement of Northeast monsoon rains over rest of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, South Interior Karnataka and Rayalaseema during the next 24 hours.
It said the trough of low at mean sea level from southwest Bay of Bengal to west-central Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh now lay centred over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka.
A trough runs from this system to South Interior Karnataka across interior Tamil Nadu, while the cyclonic circulation over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka embedded in the above trough of low has become less marked.
A cyclonic circulation also lay centred over south Tamil Nadu and neighbourhood.
The Met office has forecast widespread rains in coastal and southern districts during the next 48 hours, which meant that a wet weekend was in the offing.
Meanwhile, after spells of intermittent rain last night and early this morning, sun shone briefly, before grey skies, accompanied by gusty winds, brought spells of rain in Chennai city and its suburbs.
The Chennai city recorded 3.6 cm of rain during the last 24 hrs ending at 0830 hrs Thursday morning, while suburban Meenambakkam recorded 3.4 cm of rain.
The Northern suburban Puzhal recorded a maximum of 11 cm, followed by Kelambakkam-10, Periyanaickenpalayam in Coimbatore, Perundurai in Erode, Cuddalore -9 each.