Another low-pressure area likely in Bay of Bengal, Met forecasts very heavy rains in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast the formation of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal and issued heavy to very heavy rain alerts to several parts of the State, even as it continued to pour in the Nilgiris and ghat areas of Coimbatore region, with multiple incidents of tree falls and mud slips keeping the rescue personnel on their toes.

According to the RMC, the upper air cyclonic circulation prevailing over the northwest Bay of Bengal will intensify into a low-pressure area on Tuesday. It predicted a high probability of the low-pressure area further deepening and moving towards the northwest.

On account of the weather and oceanic changes coupled with the stronger southwest monsoon, the RMC has issued a heavy to very heavy rainfall alert to isolated places over the Nilgiris and ghat areas of Coimbatore till June 18 and predicted heavy rains for Theni and Tenkasi districts.

In addition, it has forecast light to moderate rainfall over isolated places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal till Sunday.

The capital city, however, will experience sparse rainfall as the southwest monsoon gains momentum and the low-pressure area forms near south Gujarat.

Weather blogger K Srikanth said the western wind flow is getting stronger, and the late incoming sea breeze in the city indicates low chances of rainfall and high humidity for the upcoming days.

"Since the advancement of the southwest monsoon was weak last week, Chennai and neighbouring districts received heavy rainfall," he pointed out.

Due to the southwest monsoon, Avalanche in the Nilgiris received 29 cm of rainfall, and Chinnakallar in Coimbatore received 18 cm of rain on Monday. Several other Western Ghats regions – Upper Bhavani, Pandalur, and Solaiyar – received copious amounts of rainfall.