The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted isolated or scattered rainfall ranging from light to moderate intensity over several parts of southern India, including Tamil Nadu, over the next few days. The Saturday prediction came after Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu witnessed an overnight spell of rain on Saturday (March 22).

“Isolated to scattered light/moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds (speed 30-40 kmph) likely over Tamil Nadu Puducherry & Karaikal, Kerala & Mahe, Lakshadweep, coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, Rayalaseema, Telangana and interior Karnataka during next 5 days,” the weather bulletin read.

The IMD

attributed the potential weather pattern to a wind/trough discontinuity running from “south Chhattisgarh to south interior Karnataka and a trough in easterly from Comorin area to south Tamil Nadu in lower tropospheric levels”.

“The trough in easterlies from the Comorin area to south Tamil Nadu at 0.9 km above mean sea level persists,” IMD said.

Heavy rainfall is also likely in isolated places in the southernmost part of Tamil Nadu on Saturday, according to the forecast. The Met Department also predicted the likelihood of a ‘generally cloudy sky with heavy rain’ on Saturday over Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari. On Sunday (March 23), parts of the district may witness a partially cloudy sky, along with a possibility of moderate rains or a thunderstorm.

Besides Thoothukudi, the districts of Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, and Theni were also on yellow alert for Thursday. The weather forecast for Chennai is ‘generally cloudy sky’ on Saturday. While the city’s minimum temperature is expected to drop no further than 26 degrees Celsius, the maximum temperature is likely to go up to 35 degrees Celsius.

The IMD also predicted the prevalence of thunderstorms accompanied by “lightning at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, Lakshadweep, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal & Sikkim on Sunday (March 23).”