The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai has issued an orange alert for ten districts in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu, in anticipation of heavy rainfall from October 12 to 15. The alert signifies a need for preparedness as the northeast monsoon approaches the region.
Meteorologists have observed a well-marked low-pressure area in the east-central Arabian Sea, which formed on October 10, off the coasts of Goa and northern Karnataka. By the morning of October 11, the system had moved northwestward and was located off the Maharashtra coast. This weather pattern is expected to continue moving west-northwest and may intensify into a depression by October 13, according to Senthamarai Kannan, Deputy Director General of Meteorology at the RMC.
A trough has been identified extending from the low-pressure area over the east-central Arabian Sea, reaching down to the southeastern Arabian Sea off the south Kerala coast. Additionally, another upper air cyclonic circulation was noted over the southwest Bay of Bengal, which extends up to 1.5 km above mean sea level.
For the upcoming week, the RMC has predicted moderate to very heavy rainfall across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Areas particularly at risk include Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and the ghats of Coimbatore and Tirupur, as well as several other districts such as Nilgiris, Erode, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Dindigul, Theni, Virudhunagar, Tenkasi, Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, and Pudukkottai.
Fishermen have been advised to refrain from venturing into the sea due to expected squally weather, with wind speeds ranging from 35 km/h to 45 km/h, gusting up to 55 km/h.
In Chennai, residents enjoyed a break from the heat on Friday, with cloudy conditions anticipated to persist over the next few days. The RMC forecasts moderate rain, thunderstorms, and lightning in some areas, with maximum temperatures expected to be around 32-33°C and minimum temperatures around 25-26°C. The sky is likely to remain partly cloudy for the next 48 hours.
Sources By Agencies
