Tamil Nadu Weather: Chennai Wakes Up To Cool Breeze & Rain; More Showers Likely Across TN

Chennai woke up to a refreshing spell of cool breeze and intermittent rain on Saturday, offering much-needed relief from recent dry conditions. The city and its suburbs experienced pleasant morning weather as cloud cover remained thick and light showers passed through several neighbourhoods.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), this change in weather is being driven by a combination of easterly and westerly systems influencing Tamil Nadu.

The weather department has forecast light to moderate rainfall at isolated places over Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur districts.

Similar conditions are also likely over Puducherry and the Karaikal region. Coastal districts, particularly the stretch between the Cauvery delta and Chennai, may witness moderate rainfall in many locations, with the possibility of one or two heavy spells later tonight, depending on the interaction with a westerly trough.

Explaining the prevailing conditions, the RMC said a trough in easterlies is running along longitude 85°E to the south of latitude 10°N at about 0.9 km above mean sea level. In addition, an upper air cyclonic circulation lies over South Interior Karnataka and neighbouring areas at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

Meanwhile, the earlier upper air cyclonic circulation over the southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Lakshadweep region has weakened, allowing the current systems to dominate weather activity over Tamil Nadu.

As a result, Chennai and its suburbs are expected to see on-and-off spells of rain, particularly during the morning hours, with rain intensity likely increasing during the night. Weather observers say the next two days could be especially favourable for rain lovers.

Weather blogger R Pradeep John described the situation as an "awesome monsoon-like start" for the city, urging residents to enjoy the conditions before a brief dry phase sets in.

According to the outlook shared by weather enthusiasts, January 24 is likely to see moderate rainfall from Chennai to the delta districts, while January 25 could bring widespread rainfall across coastal Tamil Nadu. By January 26, rainfall activity is expected to shift towards interior and southern parts of the state. Key areas likely to benefit include Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Karaikal, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Puducherry, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Salem, Vellore, Ranipet, and the Kancheepuram-Tiruvallur-Chennai-Chengalpattu belt.

Rainfall data shared by the blogger also highlights how unusual January showers have become in recent years. Tamil Nadu has already recorded 25.8 mm of rainfall in January 2026, which is above the normal January average of 12.3 mm. With Republic Day falling amid this wet spell, residents across the state are expected to experience a cool, rainy holiday weekend-one that many will gladly welcome.