Heavy rainfall in TN till May 17, says weather department

According to the latest bulletin, heavy rain is expected at isolated places in the Nilgiris, the ghat areas of Coimbatore, Erode, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Tirupattur, Vellore, and Tiruvannamalai districts during this period.

The weather department also indicated that light to moderate rainfall is likely at a few locations across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds with speeds reaching 30-40 kmph in one or two places.

The public is advised to take necessary precautions during this spell of unstable weather.

In Chennai, the RMC has forecast partly cloudy skies for Monday, with possibilities of thunderstorms and light rain in parts of the city.

The minimum temperature is expected to hover around 29 degrees Celsius. While some parts of the city remained dry, western areas and suburbs -- including Redhills, Ambattur, Porur, Mugaliwakkam, Valsaravakkam, Tambaram, Guduvancherry, Poonamallee, and Thiruverkadu -- received moderate showers on Sunday evening.

Additionally, thunderstorms were reported in Avadi, Chromepet, Perungalathur, Sriperumbudur, Tiruvallur, and adjacent regions, bringing much-needed relief from the recent heat.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also predicted that the Southwest Monsoon is very likely to advance into the South Andaman Sea, parts of the Southeast Bay of Bengal, and the Nicobar Islands around May 13.

The monsoon may further progress over the southern Arabian Sea, the Maldives, and the Comorin region in the following days.

Despite the rainfall activity, the RMC has cautioned that maximum daytime temperatures are expected to remain above normal by 2-3 degrees Celsius at isolated places in Tamil Nadu over the next few days. Residents are urged to stay updated with local weather advisories and avoid outdoor activities during lightning or heavy wind spells.