Tamil Nadu Weather: Heavy Rain Lashes Delta Dists As Northeast Monsoon Set To Retreat

Tamil Nadu witnessed another day of active weather on Monday, with several coastal and delta districts recording significant rainfall even as conditions are now turning favourable for the withdrawal of the Northeast Monsoon.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Velankanni in Nagapattinam district emerged as the wettest place in the state over the last 24 hours, recording a heavy 13 cm of rainfall, reflecting the lingering influence of a cyclonic circulation over the adjoining sea.

Velankanni was followed by Thirukuvalai in Nagapattinam district, which received 10 cm of rain. Several other locations across the Cauvery delta and the coastal belt reported widespread and fairly heavy showers. Sembanarkoil PWD (Mayiladuthurai), Vedaranyam (Nagapattinam), Sirkazhi (Mayiladuthurai), Karaikal (Karaikal UT) and Mayiladuthurai town each recorded 8 cm of rainfall, indicating intense cloud activity over the region.

Further, Vedaranyam AWS, Mayiladuthurai AWS, Tarangambadi, Thalaignayer, Kollidam, Karaikal AWS and Lower Anaicut in Thanjavur district received 7 cm each, underlining the concentration of rainfall over the deltaic belt, which has benefited agriculture but also raised concerns about waterlogging in low-lying pockets.

Temperature Trends Show Slight Rise in Night Temperatures

While rainfall remained active in coastal Tamil Nadu, temperature patterns showed a noticeable shift. The RMC reported a rise in minimum temperatures by 2-3°C at isolated places across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during the last 24 hours, while no major change was observed in the rest of the state and Karaikal region.

Minimum temperatures were above normal by 2-5°C at a few places in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, while most other areas remained near normal. On the maximum temperature front, Kanyakumari recorded the highest daytime temperature at 32.0°C, reflecting relatively clearer skies in the southern tip of the state.

In contrast, Dharmapuri registered the lowest minimum temperature in the plains at 19.0°C, while Kodaikanal recorded a chilly 8.8°C, making it the coldest place in Tamil Nadu's hill regions.

Cyclonic Circulation Shifts to Gulf of Mannar

The weather agency noted that the upper air cyclonic circulation, which was earlier positioned over the Comorin area, has now moved over the Gulf of Mannar and its neighbourhood at about 0.9 km above mean sea level. This system has been one of the key drivers of the recent spell of rain over coastal and delta districts.

However, the weather agency said that atmospheric conditions are now becoming favourable for the cessation of Northeast Monsoon rains over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, as well as Kerala, Mahe and adjoining areas of Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema and South Interior Karnataka during the next three days. This marks a seasonal transition as the state prepares to move into a relatively drier phase.

Thunderstorm Alert Still in Place

Despite the overall weakening of monsoon activity, the RMC cautioned that thunderstorms with lightning are likely to occur at one or two places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal. Isolated spells of rain, particularly in southern and western interior districts, may still be witnessed before the break phase fully sets in.

Weather blogger R. Pradeep John also indicated that rains over the Cauvery delta are expected to reduce from noon today and largely come to an end, calling it the last day of scattered rain over South and West Tamil Nadu before a prolonged dry spell begins.

With reservoirs in the delta region already receiving substantial inflows from the recent rains, the gradual withdrawal of the Northeast Monsoon is expected to bring much-needed stability to both agriculture and daily life across Tamil Nadu.