Rainfall set to steadily increase, cover most parts of Tamil Nadu this week, predicts RMC

Rainfall set to steadily increase, cover most  parts of Tamil Nadu this week, predicts RMC



The Meteorological department has forecast that Chennai would experience light to moderate rain in some areas till Friday.File photo

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI  10.10.2024

Rainfall is set to steadily increase and cover most parts of the State this week, paving the way for the onset of the northeast monsoon, Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, has said.

While the southwest monsoon has been retreating rapidly, and is expected to completely withdraw in a few days, the RMC has forecast heavy rainfall to continue till October 15 in many districts.

In its extended forecast for two weeks, the India Meteorological Department had predicted that the northeast monsoon would likely set in around October 15. Officials at the RMC, however, said the date of onset would be determined in one or two days after the criteria of monsoon arrival were analysed. Some conditions include complete withdrawal of the southwest monsoon, setting in of the easterly winds close to the Tamil Nadu coast, and a fairly widespread rainfall wherein 50% of the weather stations receive rain.

Multiple weather systems that are prevailing now would enhance easterlies and rainfall over the State. A low pressure area over Lakshadweep and the adjoining Arabian sea, which is one of the weather systems, is likely to gain strength as a depression.

P. Senthamarai Kannan, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said the interaction between various weather systems would influence wet weather. The cyclonic circulation over Sri Lanka and its neighbourhood, which would oscillate its position close to the Tamil Nadu coast, would also influence heavy rainfall in various parts of the State till October 14. The RMC has predicted that large swathes of the region would receive light to moderate rain till October 14. Enhanced rain has been forecast for 10 districts, including Salem, Karur, Tiruchi, and Krishnagiri, with an yellow alert – indicating heavy rainfall of above 6.4 cm – for Thursday.

More districts, including Dindigul, Cuddalore, Virudhunagar and Madurai, would continue to receive heavy rain till October 15. An orange alert has been sounded for Tamil Nadu and Kerala, indicating the possibility of rainfall of very heavy intensity (11.5 cm to 20.4 cm) on October 12, 13, and 14. Very heavy rainfall may lash isolated places in districts in the northern parts and the delta region. In the past 24 hours, ending 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday, several interior places and some coastal places received rainfall. Moderate rain continued till the evening at various places such as Valparai (5 cm), Thuvakudi in Tiruchi district (4 cm) and Ramanathapuram (3 cm).

The Meteorological department has forecast that Chennai would experience light to moderate rainfall in some areas till Friday.