The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai has forecast moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms across several parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Tuesday (November 4).
The centre’s bulletin noted that although the northeast monsoon has officially set in, its full impact is yet to be felt due to weak easterly winds and the lingering influence of westerlies.
According to 24-hour rainfall data ending Monday morning, Malai in Ranipet district, Sethupattu in Tiruvannamalai district, and Valathi in Villupuram district each recorded 3 cm of rainfall.
A low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Myanmar coast continues to persist in the same region and is likely to move towards the coasts of Bangladesh and Myanmar over the next 24 hours.
The RMC bulletin further stated that moderate thunderstorms with lightning are expected at isolated places in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Tuesday and Wednesday, while light rain is likely to continue till November 11.
Maximum temperatures in a few districts could rise by up to 4 degrees Celsius above normal, the forecast added. For Chennai and its suburbs, the sky is likely to remain partly cloudy, with light to moderate showers accompanied by thunder and lightning at a few locations later in the day. Daytime temperatures are expected to remain high due to limited moisture inflow from the Bay.
Despite the official onset of the northeast monsoon, meteorologists noted that the westerly wind pattern remains active and the easterly flow has not yet strengthened, leading to sporadic and delayed rainfall in many regions.
However, the prevailing hot afternoons have triggered convective rains during the evenings and nights. Weather experts predict that this pattern will persist until around November 12, after which the easterly winds are likely to intensify, paving the way for the northeast monsoon to strengthen across the state.
Meanwhile, a tropical storm named Kalmaegi has formed over the South China Sea near the Philippines and is moving towards Thailand. Officials clarified that this system will have no significant impact on the northeast monsoon over Tamil Nadu.
(IANS)