The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Chennai and three other Tamil Nadu districts for Wednesday, December 18, predicting “heavy to very heavy” rainfall. The alert applies to the districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and Kanchipuram, where heavy rainfall is expected not only on Wednesday but also Thursday.
The IMD’s statement noted that heavy to very heavy rain is likely at isolated places in these areas, with the weather pattern driven by a low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal. The low-pressure system is expected to move west-northwest towards the Tamil Nadu coast over the next couple of days, intensifying the rainfall.
In addition to the orange alert, the IMD has also issued a yellow alert for Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Puducherry, where heavy rains are likely on Wednesday. The weather in these areas is expected to clear up by Thursday. “Heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Villupuram, Cuddalore districts and Puducherry,” IMD stated.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO:
Animation of the afternoon rain spell: Clouds are moving from north to south due to the influence of north/northeasterly winds. Rainfall was primarily confined to the coastal regions. #Chennai pic.twitter.com/SZX0vscF1W
— Chennai Weather-Raja Ramasamy (@chennaiweather) December 18, 2024
Satellite imagery has confirmed the presence of convective clouds linked to the low-pressure area, indicating that the rainfall is expected to intensify in the coming days. The IMD also warned of strong winds, with gusts reaching 35 to 45 km/h, along the north coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal.
The adverse weather conditions have also raised concerns for fishermen. The IMD has issued a warning about squally weather, with wind speeds between 35 km/h and 45 km/h, gusting up to 55 km/h, along the Tamil Nadu coast, the Comorin area, and the Gulf of Mannar. Fishermen have been advised to stay off the seas due to the potential hazards.
On Sunday, heavy rainfall led to severe waterlogging in Thoothukudi and surrounding areas. This caused significant disruptions in daily life, prompting the deployment of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams in the region. The NDRF teams are assisting in relief operations in the districts of Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Thoothukudi. Thoothukudi and other nearby districts had already received moderate to heavy rainfall on Friday, while Trichy also witnessed incessant rain.
