Chennai, Oct 1 — Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds is likely in Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode districts on Thursday, the Meteorological Department said, as a trough extending across Tamil Nadu is expected to bring rainfall to several parts of the state.
The trough runs from south interior of Karnataka to the Gulf of Mannar through Tamil Nadu. Under its influence, the three western districts could receive heavy showers, while several other districts are likely to experience moderate rain accompanied by thunder and lightning.
The forecast places Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode among the areas expected to receive the heaviest rainfall. Strong winds could accompany the showers in these districts, according to the department.
Moderate rain with thunderstorms is likely in Tiruchirappalli, Namakkal, Theni, Tenkasi, Tirupattur, Dindigul, Madurai and Virudhunagar. Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts could also receive moderate showers accompanied by thunder and lightning.
The forecast indicates that rainfall will extend beyond the western districts, covering parts of central and southern Tamil Nadu. However, the intensity is expected to vary, with heavy rain predicted for the three western districts and moderate showers for the other districts mentioned by the department.
Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, light to moderate rain is likely at a few places. Similar conditions are expected in Puducherry and Karaikal, where the department has forecast light to moderate showers.
For Chennai, the forecast points to a chance of light rain during the evening or night. The city is therefore expected to see milder rainfall than the heavy showers predicted in Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode.
The department’s outlook for the capital is limited to the possibility of light showers later in the day. It has not indicated heavy rainfall for Chennai in the forecast provided. Thursday’s weather outlook highlights differing conditions across the region, ranging from heavy rain with strong winds in western Tamil Nadu to thunderstorms in several inland and southern districts and lighter showers elsewhere.
The trough passing through the state is the weather feature associated with the expected rainfall. The department has linked the likelihood of heavy rain in Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode to its influence.
While rain is possible across several districts, the forecast does not suggest uniform rainfall throughout Tamil Nadu. It identifies particular districts for heavier or thunderstorm activity and predicts scattered light to moderate showers in the remaining areas.