Chennai braces for heavy rains as Cyclone Arnab takes shape

CHENNAI: As the northeast monsoon continues to remain active, a low pressure area persisting over Comorin and adjoining south Tamil Nadu is expected to intensify into Cyclone Arnab by Monday, raising the possibility of heavier rains across Tamil Nadu.

Though the weather department said the system could develop into a cyclone on October 26, independent weather bloggers predict Tamil Nadu will not be impacted.

Chennai and its neighbouring districts are likely to receive heavy rain on Saturday at isolated places, along with Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in parts of western and southern Tamil Nadu over the weekend and into Monday.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, has forecast moderate to heavy rain in some areas of Chennai on Saturday, heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Theni districts, as well as Kanniyakumari district and the Ghat areas of Tirunelveli.

Heavy rain is also likely at isolated places across several other districts in northern and southern Tamil Nadu and the Cauvery delta. Moderate rain is expected at most places in the rest of the State.

Rains are set to continue on Sunday. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely at isolated places in the eight districts of the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Perambalur, Ariyalur and Tiruchirappalli. Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram.

The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Pudukkottai will receive heavy to very heavy rain on Monday. Heavy rain is also likely in parts of the delta region and southern Tamil Nadu.

The rains are expected to ease later in the week, with light rains over southern and south coastal Tamil Nadu, while the weather will remain mainly dry over the rest of the state.

What's in the name

The name Arnab, meaning ocean in Bengali, was contributed by Bangladesh

It is the next unused name on the list of predetermined north Indian Ocean tropical cyclone names