Chennai, Oct 17 (IANS) Six districts in Tamil Nadu have been placed under an orange alert for Saturday, with the weather department forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall as the northeast monsoon brings widespread showers across the state.
Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Villupuram, the Nilgiris and Coimbatore are likely to receive the most intense rainfall. The department attributed the prevailing wet conditions to an atmospheric disturbance over the Tamil Nadu region following the onset of the monsoon.
The forecast also indicates heavy rain across several other districts, including Chennai and neighbouring Chengalpattu. Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Tiruppur, Vellore and Kallakurichi are among the districts expected to receive heavy showers during the day.
Heavy rainfall has also been predicted for Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur in the delta region, along with Erode, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Salem.
The forecast points to wet weather across a broad stretch of northern, western and southern Tamil Nadu. The weather centre has separately forecast spells of strong rain accompanied by gusty winds in Ramanathapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Namakkal, Cuddalore, Karur, Perambalur and Ariyalur.
Moderate rainfall, together with strong winds, is likely in the remaining parts of the state. The latest warning comes as rainfall has become widespread in several districts following the arrival of the northeast monsoon.
While six districts face the possibility of heavy to very heavy showers on Saturday, the department expects rainfall to continue in parts of the state on Sunday.
The Nilgiris is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Sunday as well, placing the hill district among the areas facing intense showers on consecutive days.
Heavy rain is also forecast on Sunday in Coimbatore, Erode, Namakkal, Ranipet, Tiruvallur and Tirupattur. Coimbatore, Ranipet and Tiruvallur therefore feature in the rainfall warnings for both days, although Saturday’s forecast indicates the possibility of greater intensity in these districts.
The two-day outlook indicates that the rainfall pattern will vary across Tamil Nadu, with the strongest showers concentrated in selected districts and more moderate rain elsewhere.
For Chennai, heavy rain is forecast for Saturday, while the warning for neighbouring Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram includes the possibility of very heavy rainfall.
The department’s district-specific forecast highlights the uneven intensity of the monsoon showers, even as wet and windy conditions are expected across much of Tamil Nadu through the day, with further rainfall predicted in several districts on Sunday.
–IANS
aal/rad