Anticipated Heavy Rainfall in Southern Tamil Nadu Raises Concerns for Flooding

Southern districts of Tamil Nadu are bracing for heavy rainfall, marking the first spell of the year, with expectations of localized downpours in one or two places on Friday. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) forecasts a shift of heavy rain to north Tamil Nadu on Sunday and Monday, including isolated heavy rain prospects for Chennai on Sunday. Coastal regions are set to receive light to moderate rainfall, measuring up to 6.4 cm from Saturday, extending to interior Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Saturday may see heavy rain in southern districts like Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, and delta districts, while the focus shifts to Cuddalore, Villupuram, Ranipet, and Chennai’s neighboring districts on Sunday. The anticipation of continued rain extends to Tiruvallur district on Monday. The current weather conditions are reminiscent of past instances, including January 5, 2021, when Chennai experienced heavy rainfall.

P. Senthamarai Kannan, Director of the Area Cyclone Warning Centre, RMC, Chennai, attributes the increased rain to the convergence of southeast winds and another weather system, creating a potential trigger for heavy rainfall across the state. Light to moderate rain is expected in some areas of Chennai until the weekend, raising concerns about possible flooding in vulnerable areas.