Chennai, Sep 17 (IANS) The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast rain across Tamil Nadu on Thursday, with Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram among 16 districts likely to receive moderate showers accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds.
According to the RMC, a trough extends at about 0.9 km above mean sea level from north interior Karnataka to the Gulf of Mannar through south interior Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
An upper-air circulation also persists over coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Rayalaseema at about 1.5 km above sea level. Heavy rain is likely at isolated places in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Ariyalur and Thanjavur districts on Thursday.
Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 to 50 kmph may accompany the rainfall. Moderate rain is expected at a few places across other Western Ghats districts and in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupattur, Salem, Tiruppur, Erode, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Namakkal, Kallakurichi, Madurai and Sivaganga.
Light rain may occur elsewhere in Tamil Nadu and in Puducherry.
On Friday, isolated heavy rain is forecast in the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts.
The rainfall activity is expected to intensify in parts of northern Tamil Nadu on Saturday, with heavy showers possible in 11 districts, including Tiruvallur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri.
Heavy rain may shift to parts of western, central and southern Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Pudukkottai and Tiruchirappalli are among the districts likely to be affected. Light to moderate rain may continue across the state until Tuesday.
Chennai and its suburbs will experience partly cloudy conditions on Thursday. Light to moderate rain with thunderstorms is likely in some areas during the evening or night.
The maximum temperature is expected to remain between 35 and 36 degrees Celsius, while the minimum may range from 27 to 28 degrees Celsius.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into parts of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea until Sunday, as winds could reach 65 kmph. No warning has been issued for the Tamil Nadu coast or the Arabian Sea.
--IANS
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