Heavy rain continues to lash many parts of Tamil Nadu for the 4th successive day. Coastal parts of South Tamil Nadu are experiencing non-stop weather activity nearly unprecedented in the recent past. Tamil Nadu has a normal rainfall of 15.5mm for January which has been surpassed by registering 87.3mm rain till 12th January leading to an excess of over 800%.
Southern parts of coastal Tamil Nadu have experienced excessive rain in the past 24 hours from Nagapattinam to Tuticorin resulting in localized flooding. Chief amount of rainfall are Atiramapattinam (136mm), Nagapattinam (81mm), Karaikal (68mm), Pamban (42mm) and Tiruvarur((85.6mm). Almost all the districts of the state are in large excess beating earlier records including the capital city Chennai.
Well marked cyclonic circulation over Comorin area and Gulf of Mannar is throwing highly moist winds across the state causing one of the longest wet spells. Intense activity is likely to continue for the next 48 hour and moderate to heavy rains are expected over Nagapattinam, Karaikal, Tondi, Pamban, Rameshwaram, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari. Heavy rains are also likely over interior cities like Madurai and Trichy.
The rains will slow down on 14th January over most parts and especially for the northern half of the Tamil Nadu including Chennai. No major disruption is expected on Pongal celebrations excepting sporadic showers. Tondi, Pamban, Rameshwaram and neighbourhood will witness moderate showers towards evening. Untimely rainfall activity will cease for most parts of the state on 16th January and thereafter.