Heavy Rain Alert for Chennai, 16 TN Districts Today

Thursday's Heavy Rain Zones

Heavy rain is likely at isolated places in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Ariyalur and Thanjavur districts on Thursday, with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 to 50 kmph expected to accompany the rainfall in these areas.

Moderate Rain Across a Wider Area

Beyond the heavy rain zones, moderate rain is expected at a few places across other Western Ghats districts, as well as in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupattur, Salem, Tiruppur, Erode, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Namakkal, Kallakurichi, Madurai and Sivaganga, giving a total of 16 districts under some form of rain alert for the day. Light rain may occur elsewhere across Tamil Nadu and in Puducherry, rounding out a forecast that covers much of the state to varying degrees.

How the Forecast Shifts Over the Coming Days

On Friday, isolated heavy rain is forecast specifically in the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts, suggesting a temporary narrowing of the heavy rainfall zone before it expands again. Rainfall activity is then expected to intensify across parts of northern Tamil Nadu on Saturday, with heavy showers possible in 11 districts, including Tiruvallur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri.

By Sunday, the heaviest rainfall is expected to shift toward western, central and southern Tamil Nadu, with the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Pudukkottai and Tiruchirappalli among the districts likely to be most affected. Light to moderate rain is expected to continue across the state until Tuesday, indicating that this weather system is set to influence conditions across Tamil Nadu for an extended period rather than clearing quickly.

What to Expect in Chennai

Chennai and its suburbs will experience partly cloudy conditions on Thursday, with light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms likely in some areas during the evening or night. The maximum temperature is expected to remain between 35 and 36 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is likely to range from 27 to 28 degrees Celsius, indicating that despite the rain forecast, daytime temperatures in the city are expected to stay relatively warm.

A Warning for Fishermen

Given the wind conditions associated with this weather system, fishermen have been advised not to venture into parts of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea until Sunday, as wind speeds in these areas could reach up to 65 kmph. Notably, no warning has been issued for the Tamil Nadu coast or the Arabian Sea, indicating that the more severe wind conditions are currently confined to the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea region rather than affecting the state's immediate coastline.