Tamil Nadu Weather: RMC Issues Yellow Alert To Chennai; Coastal Districts To Get Heavy Rains Before Pongal

Chennai and its suburbs are likely to receive heavy rainfall on Saturday and Sunday, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said in its daily weather bulletin, as a rare Deep Depression over the Bay of Bengal continues to influence weather patterns across Tamil Nadu. Several districts have been placed under weather alerts, with authorities urging residents to remain cautious amid the active spell.

According to the RMC, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai and Ramanathapuram districts have been placed under a yellow alert for Saturday, indicating the possibility of heavy rainfall at isolated locations. Meanwhile, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore districts, along with the Puducherry and Karaikal regions, have been issued an orange alert, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in these areas.

Meteorologists explained that the rainfall activity is linked to a rare Deep Depression currently moving along the east coast of Sri Lanka. The system is expected to continue its northwestward movement and cross the North Sri Lanka coast between Trincomalee and Jaffna around noon or afternoon on January 10. Once it reaches Jaffna, the system is likely to weaken and gradually fizzle out.

However, before dissipating, it is expected to bring widespread rainfall to several parts of Tamil Nadu, especially the Delta to Cuddalore to Puducherry to Chennai (KTCC) belt, which remains the region in focus.

For Chennai, weather conditions on Friday are expected to remain largely pleasant, with light drizzles or intermittent rain spells possible. Saturday and Sunday are predicted to be the most active days for the city and its suburbs, with widespread rainfall likely. On Monday, rainfall intensity is expected to decrease, with only isolated spells forecast in some areas. Weather officials encouraged residents to enjoy the rains while also taking precautions against waterlogging and traffic disruptions.

Heavy rainfall is also predicted on Sunday in the delta districts of Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore, as well as in Puducherry and the Karaikal region. These areas are particularly vulnerable to flooding during intense rainfall, prompting district administrations to remain on alert.

Providing details on temperature trends, the weather agency noted a tendency for minimum temperatures to rise by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius at a few places over Tamil Nadu and Karaikal, while no major change is expected over the rest of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Over the past 24 hours, minimum temperatures were below normal by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius at isolated locations, while remaining near normal elsewhere. Erode recorded the highest maximum temperature in Tamil Nadu at 32.6 degrees Celsius, while Dharmapuri registered the lowest minimum temperature in the plains at 16 degrees Celsius. In the hill regions, Kodaikanal recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 6.4 degrees Celsius.

As of 8.30 am IST on January 9, the Deep Depression was centred over the southwest Bay of Bengal near latitude 7.4°N and longitude 83.2°E, about 540 km southeast of Karaikal and 710 km south-southeast of Chennai. In addition, an upper air cyclonic circulation persists over the southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining South Kerala coast at around 1.5 km above mean sea level, further supporting rainfall activity.

Meanwhile, weather blogger Pradeep John advised farmers across delta, coastal and interior districts to keep a close vigil on standing crops. He noted that once the depression weakens on Monday, moisture will move inland, bringing rainfall to interior and southern Tamil Nadu as well. However, he added that Pongal celebrations are expected to remain rain-free across the state, offering relief to residents and farmers alike.