CHENNAI: The northeast monsoon remained vigorous over Tamil Nadu on Saturday bringing widespread rainfall to several districts and neighbouring Puducherry and Karaikal regions. As many as 40 locations recorded heavy rainfall, while very heavy rain was reported at five stations across Tamil Nadu.
According to the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, the widespread rainfall was because of a well-marked low-pressure area over the southeast Arabian Sea and the Lakshadweep region under the influence of an upper air cyclonic circulation. The system is expected to intensify into a depression within the next 36 hours and move west-northwest, continuing to feed moisture-laden winds into TN coast.
Adding to this, a second cyclonic circulation over the South Andaman Sea is likely to give rise to a fresh low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal around October 21. The emerging system is also expected to intensify and track west-northwestwards, potentially bringing active rain spell over southern India by the middle of next week.
TN to receive heavy rain between October 20-23
Some weather models have hinted that the system could further strengthen into a cyclonic storm, although the RMC has not confirmed this development.
For the next 24 hours, the RMC has forecast light to moderate rain with thunderstorms across Tamil Nadu. Isolated heavy rain is expected over the Nilgiris and Coimbatore ghats. Other districts likely to experience significant rainfall include Erode, Namakkal, Karur, Madurai, Sivaganga, Tiruchy, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, and northern districts such as Chennai,Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Ranipet.
Between October 20 and 23, several parts of the state — particularly the delta districts, northern coastal belts, and the western ghats — have been placed under various categories of heavy to very heavy rainfall alerts.
In Chennai, the sky is expected to remain generally cloudy, with intermittent moderate to heavy spells accompanied by thunder and lightning. Daytime temperatures are likely to hover between 26°C and 27°C, about four degrees below normal, offering much-needed relief from the heat. Meanwhile, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the Gulf of Mannar, south Tamil Nadu coast, Lakshadweep waters, and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea for the next 48 hours due to strong winds.
