Heavy rainfall would be the highlight of predicted weather over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and parts of the rest of the South Peninsula even as North-West India, especially the hill regions, would join the party from Wednesday as an active western disturbance checks in from across the Muzaffarabad-Giljit-Baltistan section.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rain for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and parts of the South Peninsula for the next five days as strong easterlies mop up moisture and fills the trough along the coast which is later spilled as rain over the immediate interior.

Circulation-trough combo

What sustains the process is the presence of the trough over the South-West Bay of Bengal extending from the Sri Lanka coast to the North Tamil Nadu coast (Chennai and neighbourhood) and originating from the cyclonic circulation which is parked off the Sri Lanka coast.

The IMD has forecast heavy rain at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Coastal Andhra Pradesh (adjoining North Tamil Nadu) on Friday. Thunderstorms with lightning may also line up along Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala.

Heavy rain for hills of N-W

Almost similar forecast is laid out for Saturday and Sunday as well except that farther to the North and North-West, the hilly regions of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and adjoining regions – nursing major rain deficits from the predecessor South-West monsoon — ready to welcome heavy showers.

Heavy rains are forecast at isolated places over Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad over the far North-West while Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Rayalaseema in the South would see the extended wet spell carry on without much relent.

Intra-seasonal variations

On Tuesday, up till when forecasts are available, the IMD sees heavy rains being unleashed over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Coastal Andhra Pradesh while thunderstorm and lightning would continue to break out over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Kerala.

Earlier, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director-General, IMD, explained to BusinessLine that the North-East monsoon may have been weak briefly but the season also shows intra-seasonal variation. “We are expecting enhanced rainfall this week over Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, which would continue for next five days.”

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