Many places of coastal Tamil Nadu and a few other districts in the interior parts may receive the next spell of rainfall from Sunday.
Once Cyclone Midhili loses its strength, easterly wave activity is set to influence wet weather over the State. The Regional Meteorological Centre has predicted fairly widespread rain of more moderate intensity in the coastal districts and the interior areas on Sunday. Moderate rain may occur at many places on Monday too.
The coastal and Cauvery delta districts, including Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Ramanathapuram, and Thoothukudi, are likely to receive heavy rain on Sunday and Monday. Wet weather would continue till November 23. However, the rainfall would be sporadic.
S. Balachandran, Additional Director-General of Meteorology, Chennai, said an upper air cyclonic circulation over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka would also merge with the easterly wave activity. This would maintain rainfall over the State for a few days.
Chennai, which experienced relatively a dry Friday, has a chance of moderate rain in some areas on Sunday.
On Friday, only a few weather stations, like Theni and Cuddalore districts, recorded light rain between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m.
With no strong weather disturbances so far and uneven rainfall, the State has a deficit of 15% this northeast monsoon. Tamil Nadu has recorded an overall seasonal rainfall of 24.4 cm against its normal share of 28.8 cm so far since October 1.
While many districts have failed to receive their share of rainfall, the rain gap is more than 40% in districts like Chennai, Ariyalur, Kallakurichi, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Perambalur, Tiruvannamalai, and Ranipet.
