The Northeast Monsoon has further covered the remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, Mahe, South Interior Karnataka, and Rayalaseema. The 24 hours ending Sunday morning saw rain or thundershowers in most places over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; at many places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal; at a few places over South Interior Karnataka, Kerala, and Mahe; and at isolated places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalaseema, and Coastal Karnataka.
Clouds, thundershowers, and rain spread out over almost the entire South Peninsula, except North Coastal Tamil Nadu as the North-East monsoon flows stuck to a south-easterly bias to strike the coast South of Adiramapattinam even as a mass of thunderstorms paused short of the coast and threatened North Tamil Nadu and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Satellite pictures indicated that it was either cloudy or raining over Karaikudi, Devakottai, Aruppukkottai, Vilathikulam, Sattur, Sivakasi, Thiruvengadam, Theni, Kodaikanal, Palladam, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, and Edappadi, parts of adjoining South Interior Karnataka and most parts of Kerala. The big cloud build-up off the North Tamil Nadu coast was facilitated by a cyclonic circulation over South-West Bay of Bengal off the Sri Lankan and adjoining South-East Tamil Nadu coast.
Heavy rain forecast
The Chennai Met Centre said rainfall occurred at many places over Tamil Nadu; at a few places over Kerala, South Interior Karnataka; and at isolated places over Coastal Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Rayalaseema during this period. Moderate rainfall occurred over Karaikal. Very light rain occurred over Puducherry and Mahe. As for the next four days starting Monday, it will be fairly widespread over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, Kerala, and Mahe; and from Tuesday, over Coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Specifically, on Monday, the rains are expected to scale up to be heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over Kancheepuram, Ranipet, and Tiruvallur districts of Tamil Nadu and Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Chennai, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Vellore, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Pudukkottai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, and Mayiladuthurai districts of Tamil Nadu and adjoining Kerala.
Bloggers welcome rains
Meanwhile, weather bloggers welcomed the North-East monsoon (NEM) rains with characteristic aplomb, with @ChennaiRains saying ‘it is now time to focus on what is likely to be the first active spell of the season over the next few days.’ It also hinted at a detailed post on why urban clusters need to maintain a cautious vigil, while hastening to add ‘the objective is not to spread panic, but to bring about a perspective on the risk that exists with the conditions prevailing.’
@chennaisweather observed the rains were confined to South Chennai now. ‘City has to wait for a while. This is a big start from low bringing widespread rains over North Tamil Nadu and Chennai till next week. Rains shall pick up from Monday.
Watchout for the week
@RainStorm_TN expected the ‘Delta and South Coastal Tamil Nadu coastal Tamil Nadu to continue to see rains with ‘heavy rains possible along the Rameswaram-Tondi-Nagapattinam stretch for the next two days.’ It also projected that interior Tamil Nadu will see thunderstorm activity. ‘The next five days will be interesting.’
@Chennai_nem said this is ‘going to be the first proper rainy phase for the city of Chennai, which is currently in the deficit zone, with a shortfall of -45 per cent till date during October.
@BHASKARANSHIVAR observed that the NEM has commenced with bright sunshine for Chennai.