A burst of unseasonal rain swept across parts of Chennai and Tiruvallur on Monday, offering a brief but welcome reprieve from the oppressive summer heat. The unexpected showers, at times intense, were driven by favourable atmospheric conditions that stirred weather activity across much of southern India.
IMD forecast
India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast isolated heavy rainfall over the ghat regions of Tamil Nadu, along with parts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam; and Kerala and Mahe. The Met Department has also indicated the likelihood of light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30–50 km/hr across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal; Coastal Andhra Pradesh; Rayalaseema; and Telangana over the next four days.
Helpful circulations
The unsettled weather is expected to extend further, with similar conditions forecast for Interior Karnataka later this week, and continuing spells of rain and lightning predicted over Kerala and South Interior Karnataka in the coming days. Coastal Karnataka, too, is likely to witness increased activity towards the end of the week.
Meteorologists attribute the current spell to cyclonic circulations over the west-central Bay of Bengal, off the south coastal Andhra Pradesh region, and another over Telangana. A trough extending from Telangana to the Gulf of Mannar, cutting across Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu, has further enhanced cloud formation—visibly thickening skies over the region through Monday afternoon.
Uneven pattern
Localised observations suggest the rainfall pattern has been uneven. Weather blog ChennaiRains noted that while several parts of Chennai experienced sharp downpours, northern pockets of the city largely escaped the spell. Thunderstorm activity was reported around Tiruvallur, with rain-bearing clouds drifting southward along the western suburbs of Chennai. F
Fresh cloud formation along the periphery could yet bring additional showers to parts of the city, particularly in its western and southwestern fringes. The ains, though patchy, have brought momentary relief, even as interplay of heat and moisture could trigger further bouts of volatile weather in the days ahead.
Published on April 6, 2026