CHENNAI: It's time to take out your raincoats and umbrellas as weathermen have forecast rainfall to intensify in the city and the suburbs in the coming days with northeast monsoon around the corner. IMD has forecast thunderstorms with light to moderate rainfall to continue at least for the next two days, but spells are expected to increase starting next week - the monsoon season is expected to commence around mid-next week.
Private forecasters and meteorologists said the state and the city may have a very modest onset as there may not be any significant weather system bringing the spells.
For the next 48 hours, IMD has forecast thunderstorms with light to moderate rainfall over some areas in the city and surroundings with partly cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 34C and 26C.
"The rainfall is due to the cyclonic circulation at 1.5km altitude near Comorin area and an associated trough extending up to Arabian Sea through Kerala and coastal Karnataka," an official said. This atmospheric disturbance is likely to support convergence of winds in the interior areas during the day and closer to the coast later in the night resulting in convective activity.
The agency has forecast heavy spells at isolated places in the city and neighbouring Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengelpet districts on October 25 and 26.
Earlier, IMD deputy director general of meteorology S Balachandran said northeast monsoon may arrive around October 26 as conditions are favourable for northeasterly winds to flow over Bay of Bengal and extreme southern peninsular India. Private weather watchers pegged the onset of monsoon between October 27 and 29.
Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist, Skymet Weather, said the city and the state can expect patchy rainfall from October 26 triggered by the persistent flow of northeasterly winds, which will bring in moisture. "There will only be a marginal increase in rainfall during the onset of the monsoon as there won't be any weather system," he said.
