Widespread rain with moderate intensity will continue over the State till Deepavali day. Some areas in four districts are likely to receive very heavy rain on Wednesday, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The low-pressure area, persisting over the Comorin area and its neighbourhood, is likely to move north-northwestwards. Its movement is likely to influence rainfall over the State and Puducherry. Moreover, a trough from the weather system runs to west-central Bay of Bengal, off the south Andhra Pradesh coast, across the Gulf of Mannar and the Tamil Nadu coast.
The weather systems will help the rain spell last till Saturday. However, the intensity of rain would relatively reduce after Thursday, officials said. According to IMD, very heavy rain is likely to occur in isolated places of Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvannamalai districts on Wednesday. Several other districts may experience heavy rain in one or two places. Most other places, including Chennai, may receive moderate rainfall.
On Deepavali day, isolated heavy rain is likely over many districts. Chennai may experience intermittent, moderate rain.
During the 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday, Marakkanam in Villupuram district recorded very heavy rainfall of 20 cm — the highest in Tamil Nadu for the day. During the day too, rain lashed several places in the State.
S. Balachandran, deputy director general of meteorology, Chennai, said this October, the State had received 23 cm of rain — 29% more than its monthly average. The October rain constitutes the sixth highest quantum of rainfall received by the State in the last two decades.
This year, 25 districts have so far received largely excess or excess rain from the northeast monsoon.
In its long-range forecast, IMD has predicted that the south peninsular region, including Tamil Nadu, is likely to record above-normal rain, which may be 122% more than the long-period average, in November.
