Sharp showers in coastal districts as northeast monsoon picks up momentum

Holiday declared for schools on Nov. 1; IMD has forecast thunderstorm accompanied by lightning at isolated places till Nov. 4

An upper air circulation perched in the southwest Bay of Bengal and off the north coast of Sri Lanka, triggered light to moderate rain over the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Monday. 

India Meteorological Department’s Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai, which announced the onset of the northeast monsoon on October 29, has forecast heavy to very heavy rain and issued an orange alert for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning at isolated locations as well till November 4.

A holiday has been declared for all schools in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu district on November 1 in view of the forecast of heavy rain.  

P. Senthamarai Kannan, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, RMC, Chennai, said the system, which was weak and not likely to strengthen, will bring more rain. Asked about rain for Chennai, he said there was enough moisture content in the atmosphere to bring steady rain. 

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rain at a few places in Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Ranipet districts on Tuesday. Heavy rain has been forecast in Vellore, Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukkottai, Namakkal and Tiruchi districts of Tamil Nadu and in Puducherry and Karaikal. 

The rainfall for 24 hours ending 8.30 p.m. on Monday in Chennai is: Nungambakkam (23.3 mm), Anna University (8 mm), MRC Nagar (7 mm) and YMCA Nandanam (3 mm). In Tiruvallur district, Villivakkam recorded 12.5 mm and Ennore 2 mm; in Kancheepuram, ACS Medical college recorded 2 mm and Chembarambakkam 0.5 mm and in Chengalpattu district, Chengalpattu town 10.6 mm, Tambaram 2 mm, Tiruporur 16 mm.