City residents may have to brace themselves for a wet Deepavali as heavy rains seem to be on their way.
According to officials of the Meteorological Department, the low pressure area that persists over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to become a well-marked low pressure area. The weather system is further expected to concentrate into a depression during the next two days.
This means a gradual increase in the rainfall over Chennai from Sunday. Officials of the Meteorological department said that another upper air cyclonic circulation that extends up to 4.5 km above mean sea level would also help sustain the rain.
On Saturday, the weather stations in core parts of the city did not receive much rain. But those in Madhavaram and Ennore received 1 cm of rainfall.
The department has predicted that the coastal districts, including Chennai, will begin experiencing widespread rainfall from Sunday. S. R. Ramanan of Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai, said some parts of coastal areas would have heavy to very heavy rainfall.
Chennai too would have few spells of rain or thundershowers, which might be heavy at times.
This rain spell is expected to extend till Tuesday. Fishermen have also been warned against venturing into sea on Monday.
This year, Chennai has so far received 68 cm of rainfall against the annual average of 140 cm.
Similarly, Meenambakkam has registered 81 cm against the annual average of 138 cm for the year.
