Six Tamil Nadu Districts Face Heavy Rain Alert As Cyclone Murasu Nears Coast

Rainfall activity is expected to pick up across Tamil Nadu as the Meteorological Department issues a heavy rain warning for six districts today, including Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Sivagangai, and Thanjavur. Director V.R. Durai stated that heavy rain caused by Cyclone Murasu led to 15 centimeters of rainfall each in the Kadappakkam and Parry's Corner areas of Chennai yesterday, while Manali New Town and Manali recorded 14 centimeters each.

Cyclone Impact And Forecast

The 'Murasu' cyclone over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal is nearing the south Andhra Pradesh coast and is expected to cross between Nellore and Narasapur early today. Consequently, heavy rains in northern districts like Chennai are expected to gradually decrease. Meanwhile, a cyclonic circulation persists near south Kerala. According to the Meteorological Department, October storms generally head toward Andhra Pradesh, but November storms often move toward Tamil Nadu. Heavy rain is expected to resume after November 7, and rain activity will increase after November 15 once changes occur in the winds from the southeast.

School Closures And District Weather

Due to heavy rains, the district administration has declared a holiday for schools only in Cuddalore taluk, while colleges will function as usual. Other western Ghat districts and parts of north Tamil Nadu will see moderate rain with thunder and lightning today. Chennai and its suburbs will remain cloudy with moderate rain in a few places. Furthermore, Nilgiris is specifically predicted to receive heavy rain accompanied by thunder, lightning, and strong winds today.

Context

Tamil Nadu receives a significant portion of its annual rainfall from the northeast monsoon, which typically spans from October to December. Weather patterns during this season are frequently shaped by low-pressure systems forming in the Bay of Bengal that can intensify into cyclones, directly influencing regional rainfall distribution.