Northeast monsoon hits Tamil Nadu, heavy rain likely for Chennai – Times of India

CHENNAI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday announced the onset of Northeast Monsoon over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. While the weathermen declared the onset due to rainfall in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Chennai and coastal areas of the state are likely to receive widespread heavy spells only later this week.
“Southwest monsoon has withdrawn from the entire country and simultaneously Northeast monsoon has commenced over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and adjoining South Karnataka and South Andhra Pradesh today,” said S Balachandran, deputy director-general of meteorology, IMD at a press meet. Temperatures in Chennai touched 32.2 degree in Nungambakkam and 32.5 degree in Meenambakkam, around 0.9 degree and 1.1 degree above normal at both stations.
For the next two days, the Met department has forecast heavy rain to occur at isolated places over Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Tiruppur, Pudukottai, Karur, and Thiruvarur.
IMD officials said the widespread rainfall in the state on Sunday and heavy spells over the southern districts were due to the incoming northeasterly winds. “There was no synoptic system. After Monday, the next possibility of a widespread spell will be on October 29 and 30 but the rains will be mostly over coastal Tamil Nadu,” said N Puviarasan, director Area Cyclone Warning Centre at IMD, Chennai.
For the next 48 hours, the IMD has forecast thunderstorms with light to moderate rains over some areas of Chennai and the suburbs with generally cloudy skies. Maximum and minimum temperature will be around 34 degree and 25 degree. “Coastal Tamil Nadu including Chennai can expect heavy rainfall between October 28 and 30,” Puviarasan said.
Skymet Weather, in its online post, said the city is likely to receive more rainfall at the beginning of November as well. “The rain activity will build up further during this week. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected between October 28 and 30. There are bright chances for this wet spell to extend into the opening days of November,” the post said.