CHENNAI: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast that the southwest monsoon is likely to set in over Kerala on May 26. Light to moderate rain is likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal till May 20, and heavy rainfall is expected to continue over Sivaganga, Tiruchirappalli and Karur districts on May 18.
According to the weather department, conditions are favourable for the further advance of the southwest monsoon into more parts of the southeast Arabian Sea, the southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal, the remaining parts of the Andaman Islands and the Andaman Sea, and some parts of the east-central Bay of Bengal over the next three to four days.
The southwest monsoon advanced into some parts of the southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal and many parts of the Andaman Sea on Friday.
The weather department said light to moderate rain is likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal till May 20, with thunderstorms and lightning expected at one or two places.
Heavy rain is likely at isolated places over Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Coimbatore and Nilgiris districts on May 17.
Heavy rainfall is expected to continue over Sivaganga, Tiruchy and Karur districts on May 18. On May 19, heavy rain is likely at isolated places over Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni and Dindigul districts, the bulletin said.
In Chennai, the maximum temperature is likely to be around 36 degrees Celsius on May 17, while the minimum temperature may hover around 27 degrees Celsius. The sky is expected to remain partly cloudy, with light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.
Tiruttani recorded the highest maximum temperature in the State at 35.6 degrees Celsius, while Kodaikanal recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the hill areas at 11.9 degrees Celsius on Saturday.