Tamil Nadu Rains: Nov 18 School Holidays Likely, 16 Districts Under Orange Alert
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast heavy rainfall across 16 districts of Tamil Nadu on Monday, issuing an orange alert for several coastal and northern districts as a weather system over the Bay of Bengal continues to intensify.
Orange Alert for Northern & Coastal Districts
According to the RMC’s latest weather bulletin, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, and Tiruvarur districts, along with the Karaikal region, have been placed under an orange alert, indicating the likelihood of heavy to very heavy rainfall.
The alert comes as the low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal off the Sri Lanka coast persists, coupled with an upper-air cyclonic circulation extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level. The system is expected to move west-northwestwards slowly over the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the cyclonic circulation over the Southeast Arabian Sea off the South Kerala coast has weakened, the RMC added.
Chennai Weather Update: Thunderstorms Likely
Chennai is likely to experience moderate rain with thunder and lightning on Monday.
- Maximum Temperature: ~27°C
- Minimum Temperature: 23–24°C
Yellow Alert for Southern & Coastal Districts
A yellow alert has been issued for Villuppuram, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, and Puducherry.
For Tuesday (November 18), the yellow alert will extend to:
Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Tenkasi, and Theni districts.
Low Pressure Over Bay of Bengal Strengthens
The RMC noted that the low-pressure area is expected to intensify further, bringing widespread rainfall across coastal and southern Tamil Nadu.
Additionally, a fresh low-pressure system is likely to form over the Southeast Bay of Bengal around November 22, which may strengthen within the next 48 hours and move west-northwestwards, potentially influencing the state’s weather later this week.
Temperature Extremes Across Tamil Nadu
- Highest Maximum Temperature: 33.0°C recorded at Erode and Madurai Airport
- Lowest Minimum Temperature (Plains): 19.0°C recorded at Karur Paramathi
Top Rainfall Records (in cm)
- Kodiayakarai (Nagapattinam): 12 cm
- Sembanarkoil PWD (Mayiladuthurai): 9 cm
- Thangachimadam (Ramanathapuram): 8 cm
- Vedaranyam (Nagapattinam): 7 cm
- Thalaignayyar (Nagapattinam): 7 cm
- Kollidam (Mayiladuthurai): 7 cm
- Sirkazhi (Mayiladuthurai): 7 cm
