CHENNAI: With the southwest monsoon officially setting in over Kerala early this year, and advancing into large parts of Tamil Nadu, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) on Saturday issued a seven-day rainfall forecast for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal.
Chennai is likely to experience moderate rain, with temperatures ranging between 35 and 37°C.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph, is likely in several districts, including the Nilgiris, Coimbatore (ghat areas), Theni, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Dindigul, Kanniyakumari, and Tiruppur, from May 25 to May 28.
A low-pressure area is likely to form over west-central and adjoining North Bay of Bengal around May 27, said B Amudha, head of RMC.
People residing in vulnerable districts told to remain alert
Significant rainfall has already been reported in the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts, with Avalanche and Pandalur receiving 11 cm each, and Chinnakalar in Coimbatore recording 9 cm in 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Saturday.
The Nilgiris and the ghat areas of Coimbatore may experience isolated extreme rainfall spells from May 25-26, as forecasted by the met office, which has issued a Red alert for the district administrations.
Chennai is also expected to experience moderate rain and thunderstorms, with temperatures ranging between 35-37°C. Isolated parts of the city, including Medavakkam and Kannagi Nagar, recorded 4-5 cm of rain as of Saturday morning.
Officials urged residents in vulnerable districts to remain alert and follow local advisories, especially in hilly regions prone to landslides and waterlogging.
With an active monsoon spell expected to continue, authorities are preparing for potential disruptions in travel and public services. To a query on how June is shaping, met officals said it will be updated by the month-end after the low pressure area develops in the Bay of Bengal.