CHENNAI: The regional meteorological centre on Thursday issued a red alert for Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Ranipet, where extreme rains (above 20 cm) have been forecast, following which Friday was announced as a holiday for schools and colleges.
Chennai, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur district administrations also declared a holiday for schools and colleges since heavy to very heavy rains have been forecast. The last episode of heavy downpour, probably the heaviest so far this monsoon, is being triggered by the low-pressure area over southwest Bay of Bengal off the Sri Lanka coast and is likely to become more marked in next 24 hours.
S Balachandran, deputy director general of meteorology, RMC, said the weather system will move northwestwards towards the TN-Puducherry coasts till November 12 morning. It is likely to move west-northwestwards across Tamil Nadu-Puducherry and Kerala on November 12 and 13.
On Friday, the Met office said isolated heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain at one or two places is likely over Tiruvallur, Ranipet and Kancheepuram districts. Heavy to very heavy rain has been forecast over Chennai, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Vellore, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, and Nagapattinam districts, and Puducherry and Karaikal. Heavy rain is likely at isolated places over Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruppur, Coimbatore and the Nilgiris.
On Saturday, isolated heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain is likely over the Nilgiris, Dindigul and Theni districts, while heavy to very heavy rain is likely over Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Tirupattur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, and Tiruvarur districts, and Puducherry and Karaikal. Heavy rains in the state are expected to continue till November 14.