Chennai Regional Meteorological Centre Director Durai said northeast monsoon rainfall in Tamil Nadu has been above normal so far this October. From October 1 to 21, the state recorded 11.1 cm of rain against a normal 10 cm—about 12% higher than average.
Over the last 24 hours, the monsoon intensified across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, bringing moderate to heavy rain in many places and very heavy rain at a few locations. The highest rainfall was reported at MGR Nagar in Chennai with 15.4 cm.
The weather office warned of very heavy rain in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari over the next 24 hours. On October 23, very heavy rain is likely in Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Tenkasi and Virudhunagar, while heavy rain may occur in delta districts and areas along the Western Ghats.
With a low-pressure area forming over the southern regions, orange alerts have been issued for several districts. For Chennai, moderate rain is expected over the next three days, with a chance of heavy rain on October 25.
The director also noted that when sea-surface temperatures over the Arabian Sea are higher than usual, northeast winds can strengthen, increasing rainfall along the Western Ghats. The seasonal normal for October to December is 44 cm of rainfall, he added.
