Southwest monsoon set to advance into TN by June 3-4; rainfall forecast today
Chennai, May 31
The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecast that the southwest monsoon is likely to advance into parts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and adjoining regions by June 3 or 4, bringing widespread rainfall and a gradual drop in temperatures across the southern states.
According to the weather department, the monsoon has already made further progress over large parts of the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep, the Comorin region and several areas of the Bay of Bengal as of May 30.
Meteorological conditions remain favourable for its continued advancement over the next three to four days.
Chennai witnessed relatively pleasant weather on Saturday with increased cloud cover and temperatures remaining below seasonal norms.
The Nungambakkam observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 35.1 degrees Celsius, significantly lower than the normal maximum of 37.9 degrees Celsius. Similarly, Meenambakkam registered 37.1 degrees Celsius against its normal maximum of 38.6 degrees Celsius.
For Sunday, the RMC has forecast a maximum temperature of around 39 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 29 degrees Celsius in Chennai. Light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds is likely in some parts of the city and its suburbs.
The weather department said daytime temperatures across isolated pockets of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal could remain 2 to 3 degrees Celsius above normal until June 1. However, temperatures are expected to gradually return to near-normal levels from June 2 onwards as monsoon activity intensifies.
The RMC has also issued a heavy rainfall alert for several districts on Sunday. Isolated places in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindigul, Theni, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Namakkal, Erode, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tirupattur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram districts, along with Puducherry, are likely to receive heavy rain.
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph are also expected in many areas.
The weather department said heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue on June 1 and 2, particularly in western and southern districts, including Theni and Tenkasi.
Rainfall data released by the RMC showed that Oothu and Nalumukku in Tirunelveli district, Ammapettai in Erode district and Tholampalayam in Coimbatore district recorded the highest rainfall of 7 cm each on Saturday. Kakkachi in Tirunelveli received 6 cm, while Pambar Dam, Uthangarai, Edappadi, Sankaridurg and Manjolai recorded 5 cm each, reflecting the increasing influence of pre-monsoon weather systems across the State.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I'm in Coimbatore and we've already had some nice spells of rain today. The warning for heavy rainfall in our district is a bit concerning, but honestly, after the scorching April and May, I'll take it. Just hope the civic authorities are ready for waterlogging in low-lying areas.
Good news for the water situation in Tamil Nadu. We really need the reservoirs to fill up. The slight drop in temperature in Chennai yesterday was a welcome relief. Let's just hope the thunderstorms don't cause too much damage to power lines. Stay safe everyone!
Just saw the forecast for the Nilgiris – 7 cm of rain already in some areas! That's great for the tea estates and agriculture, but tourists should be careful if planning trips to Ooty or Kodaikanal this week. The roads can get quite slippery and landslides are a risk.
I'm happy for the farmers but honestly, the weather predictions from the met department have been hit-or-miss this past year. They said heavy rain last week and we barely got a drizzle. Let's see if the June 3-4 timeline holds true. Fingers crossed! 🤞
The fact that Nungambakkam recorded 35.1°C against the normal 37.9°C shows the influence of the approaching monsoon. But a 39°C forecast for Sunday is still quite hot – AC is working overtime! Hope everyone stays hydrated and the rain gods are kind to us. 🙏
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