Wet spell to continue in Chennai, nearby districts for two days

CHENNAI: As a relief for Chennaites from scorching heat recorded above 40 degrees Celsius in the last few days, many parts of the city on Monday received light to moderate rain which is likely to continue over various places including Chennai, neighbouring districts for the next two days.

The cyclonic circulation prevailing over the sea and the Southwest monsoon caused intermittent rains.

Many places in the capital city and suburbs including Tondiarpet, Tiruvottriyur, Broadway, and Egmore witnessed mild showers with thunderstorms and lightning from Sunday night.

Despite the rains bringing respite from soaring heat it led to water logging in some interior roads thereby affecting the traffic.

The Southwest monsoon advanced into the remaining parts of Tamil Nadu on Monday (June 3).

The cyclonic circulation over west central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal off south coastal Andhra Pradesh-North Tamil Nadu coasts persists and is 3.1 km above mean sea level tilting southwestwards.

This condition triggered moderate to heavy rain with thunderstorm activity in several districts in Tamil Nadu on Monday.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has predicted light to moderate rain in a few places including Chennai.

Thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds with speeds reaching 30 km/h to 40 km/h are likely to occur at one or two places over Tamil Nadu.

A yellow warning was issued over Nilgiris, Ghat areas of Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindigul, Erode, Salem, Dharmapuri, and Krishnagiri districts on Wednesday predicting heavy rain along with thunderstorm activity.

As rainfall activity is likely to occur over several places in the state, the maximum temperature might reduce by 1 to 3 degrees Celsius than usual in the coming days.

The weather department urged fishermen to not venture into the sea till June 7 as squally weather with wind speeds 35 km/h to 45 km/h gusting to 55 km/h is likely to prevail over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal, southern parts of east-central Bay of Bengal and north Andaman sea.

Fishermen are advised to return to the shore at the earliest.

During the southwest monsoon in the last three days, Tamil Nadu received 17.7 mm against the average rainfall of 6.3 which is 180 percent excess rainfall.

Virudhunagar district received the highest rainfall at 35 mm followed by Tiruvarur with 20.5 mm