CHENNAI: More summer rains are in store for the state with the Meteorological Department forecasting a chance of moderate rain on Friday in certain areas and very heavy rain in a few locations in the southern districts, the districts close to the Western Ghats, the delta districts, and the inner districts.
Heavy to heavy rains is likely in Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Theni, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Madurai, Dindigul, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Erode, and Karaikal areas, the weather department said.
A cyclonic circulation close to the Tamil Nadu region has brought a spate of rainfall to the state and is likely to be in effect till May 20. As a result, light to moderate rain is likely at many places of the state till May 20 with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds of speed reaching 40-50 kmph at one or two places.
For the same period, isolated heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain at one or two places is likely in southern, central and western parts of the state.
Meanwhile, the forecast for May 18 reads thus: Puducherry, Karaikal, Kanniyakumari, Theni, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, and Nilgiris districts to witness heavy to heavy rain. Tiruppur, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Tiruchy, Karur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tirupattur districts and Karaikal areas are also likely to receive heavy rain.
On May 19, moderate rain with thunder is likely at many places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, while hilly areas of Theni, Dindigul, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli Kanyakumari districts may witness heavy to very heavy rain at one or two places. Additionally, Tiruppur, Erode, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Trichy, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Virudhunagar and Madurai are likely receive heavy to very heavy rain.