Tamil Nadu Weather: Heavy Rains To Return To Chennai, 19 Other Dists on Saturday

Heavy rains are expected to be back in Chennai on Saturday as Tamil Nadu braces for an extended spell of heavy rainfall through the week, with the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) issuing varying levels of alerts for several districts from Tuesday to Friday.

Tuesday & Wednesday : Four Districts on Yellow Alert

The RMC placed Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram under a yellow alert for Tuesday and Wednesday, warning of heavy rain in isolated pockets.

Thursday: Six Districts to See Heavy Showers

On Thursday, the rainfall zone is expected to shift northward. Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam have been put on yellow alert, with forecasts of heavy rain in isolated areas.

Friday: Orange Alert for Delta Districts

Rain activity is set to intensify further on Thursday.

Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam fall under an orange alert.

Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore and Ariyalur remain on yellow alert.

Saturday: Widespread Heavy Rain Across 20 Districts

Saturday is expected to bring the most widespread rainfall of the week, with 20 districts, including Chennai, likely to receive heavy showers.

An orange alert has been issued for Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Chennai and Tiruvallur.
Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet and Vellore are under yellow alert.

Weather Systems Behind the Rain Spell

In its daily bulletin, the RMC detailed multiple weather systems contributing to the intensified rainfall:

• A well-marked low-pressure area over Malaysia and the Strait of Malacca strengthened into a depression on Tuesday morning. It was located west of George Town, Malaysia, and is expected to move west-northwestwards, intensifying further over the next 48 hours.
• Separately, an upper-air cyclonic circulation over the Comorin region has led to the formation of a low-pressure area over the Comorin-Southwest Bay of Bengal-Sri Lanka region early on Tuesday. This system is likely to move north-northwestwards, becoming a well-marked low and eventually a depression over the next two days.
• Meanwhile, the cyclonic circulation over the Southeast Arabian Sea has become less marked.

Rainfall Highlights

Several stations in Tamil Nadu recorded significant rainfall on Monday, with Tirunelveli district leading the chart:

Oothu and Nalumukku (Tirunelveli) - 17 cm each

Kakkachi (Tirunelveli) - 14 cm

Manjolai (Tirunelveli) - 13 cm

Kothavacherry (Cuddalore) - 8 cm

Tiruvarur (Tiruvarur) - 7 cm

Bhuvanagiri (Cuddalore), Mimisal (Pudukkottai), Mannargudi (Tiruvarur), Needamangalam (Tiruvarur) - 6 cm each

Parangipettai (Cuddalore) - 5 cm