Chennai: In a significant weather update that coincides with Diwali celebrations, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rainfall
warning for 18 districts across Tamil Nadu today, while simultaneously warning of the potential formation of twin cyclonic systems in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The forecast promises a wet festival for a large part of the state and indicates a period of intense weather activity in the days to follow.
The deep depression over the Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm, while a new low-pressure area is expected to form in the southeast Bay of Bengal. This rare meteorological scenario has put authorities on high alert, with the IMD predicting widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall, particularly on October 23 and 24.
Tamil Nadu Rail Alert: District-Wise Heavy Rain Alert for Diwali and Beyond
The IMD’s detailed forecast places a significant number of districts under a heavy rain alert for Diwali day. The list includes The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Chengalpattu, and Villupuram districts, along with Puducherry.
The rain activity is expected to persist and intensify. For tomorrow, heavy rain is likely to continue in Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, and Nagapattinam districts, as well as Puducherry. The situation is forecast to escalate on October 23rd, with heavy to very heavy rainfall expected in Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Ranipet, and Vellore districts. This intense rainfall is likely to continue on the 24th in Vellore, Krishnagiri, and Tirupattur districts.
Meteorological Department Warns of Potential Twin Cyclones
Adding a serious dimension to the forecast, the IMD has raised the possibility of two cyclonic systems forming simultaneously in the adjacent seas. According to Amutha, Head of the Southern Region of the Meteorological Department, the deep depression in the Arabian Sea is likely to strengthen into a cyclonic storm.
Concurrently, a low-pressure area is likely to form in the southeast Bay of Bengal around October 21st. It is expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression over the central parts of the South Bay of Bengal. The IMD has warned that these systems could lead to extremely heavy rainfall, up to 20 cm, on October 22 and 23, prompting the issuance of an Orange Alert for several districts and putting the state on a vigilant cyclone watch.
Chennai Weather Forecast
IMD has predicted moderate rain in Chennai today, and heavy rain is likely tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.
