The Northeast Monsoon has officially set in over Tamil Nadu and southern parts of peninsular India today.According to the Meteorological Department, the Southwest Monsoon has withdrawn from the entire country, marking the beginning of the Northeast Monsoon season.
Weather Conditions
Northeast Monsoon rainfall activity has commenced over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, South Interior Karnataka, and Kerala–Mahe, associated with an upper air cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area and its neighbourhood extending up to mid-tropospheric levels.
Easterly and northeasterly winds have also set in over southern peninsular India and the south and adjoining central Bay of Bengal in the lower atmospheric levels.
Rainfall Summary (Past 24 Hours)
Fairly widespread rainfall was recorded over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, and adjoining areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
Rainfall at a few places was observed over Rayalaseema and parts of South Interior Karnataka.
Isolated heavy to very heavy rain occurred over Tamil Nadu during the same period.
Cyclonic Circulation & Low Pressure Alert
Yesterday’s upper air cyclonic circulation over the Southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Lakshadweep area persists, extending up to 5.8 km above mean sea level and tilting southward with height.
Under its influence, a Low Pressure Area is likely to form over the Southeast Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area off the Kerala–Karnataka coasts around October 19.
Forecast and Warnings (Next Seven Days)
General Forecast:
Light to moderate rain is likely at many places with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds (30–40 kmph) at one or two locations over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal.
Heavy to very heavy rain likely at isolated places over Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, and Theni districts today.
Heavy rain also likely over Madurai, Dindigul (Western Ghats), Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Erode, Sivaganga (South), and Cauvery delta areas—including Mayiladuthurai, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and coastal North Tamil Nadu districts such as Cuddalore, Villuppuram, Chengalpattu, Chennai, and Tiruvallur, besides Puducherry and Karaikal today.
October 18–20:
Heavy rain likely at isolated places over Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Theni, Dindigul, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, and Salem districts.
October 21:
Heavy rain likely at isolated places over Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, and Karaikal area.
October 22:
Heavy rain likely at isolated places over Chengalpattu, Villuppuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Puducherry, and Karaikal area.
Chennai Forecast
For Chennai and its neighbourhood, the sky will be generally cloudy with a few spells of moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in some areas.