CHENNAI: Though the onset of Northeast monsoon is still a few weeks away, an active wet spell is hovering over Tamil Nadu and is likely to bring widespread rains over the next three days.
A cyclonic circulation over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka off the Tamil Nadu coast along with the pull-over effect of the low pressure area forming over southeast Arabian sea, which is likely to intensify into cyclonic storm, will be bringing good rains for Tamil Nadu, especially the southern and coastal districts, including Chennai.
Chennaiites, who have been experiencing humid and hot conditions for the past few days, are sure to get a sigh of relief. S Balachandran, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, said the rains are likely to occur till October 8, but the high-intensity bands are expected around October 4-5.
“Already, rainfall activity has increased in interior districts and southern belt. Several places in Pudukkottai, Kanniyakumari, Tiruvarur, Perambalur and Tanjavur are getting good rains,” he said.
On the weather system developing in the Arabian Sea, he said that based on numerical weather model guidance, a low-pressure area is forming over the southeast Arabian Sea and is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm around October 7 and fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea over the south Kerala coast, Lakshadweep area, Comorin area, southeast Arabian Sea and central Arabian Sea. “Those who are in the deep sea are advised to return to coast by October 5. However, this will not impact the TN coast.”