An orange warning has been issued for parts of Tamil Nadu and the capital Chennai, indicating heavy rain due to the presence of an upper air circulation – a low pressure system that has formed over the Bay of Bengal. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in the southern state for the next four days, according to the weather agency.
Which districts are under orange alert?
Chengalpattu, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukkottai and Ramanathapuram districts in Tamil Nadu along with Puducherry and Karaikal region have been declared on orange alert.
Where has a light to moderate rainfall warning been issued?
Light to moderate rainfall was forecast for tiruvalor, callakur and perambalur districts.
In view of the heavy downpour, the Tamil Nadu government has asked various districts to take precautionary measures. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the Gulf of Mannar and Kanniyakumari sea areas as winds are expected to blow at a speed of 35-45 kmph with gusts of up to 55 kmph.
Are schools closed?
Incessant rainfall in Chennai and neighboring districts has again raised questions about the possible closure of schools. As an orange alert has been issued for several regions today, the city is experiencing heavy showers, cloudy skies and occasional thunderstorms.
At the same time, many parents and schools assume that November 17 could be declared a holiday, especially for primary and secondary school students. Rapidly changing weather over the past 48 hours has led authorities to err on the side of caution when assessing the situation.
But till now Chennai district administration has not issued any official notification regarding school holidays on 17th November.
In which other regions is heavy rainfall expected?
The weather service also warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall in:
Kerala and Mahe (November 16-20)
Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, Rayalaseema (November 17-18)
Andaman and Nicobar Islands (November 18-21)
What do the latest meteorological observations indicate?
A “low pressure area” over the southwestern Bay of Bengal off the coast of Sri Lanka remained almost stationary as of 5:30 a.m. on November 16. According to weather officials, the associated cyclonic upper air circulation extends up to 5.8 km above mean sea level and tilts to the southwest with height. The system is expected to move slowly in a west-northwest direction during the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, an “upper air cyclonic circulation” persists over southern Bangladesh and its surrounding areas, extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level.
Additionally, a “cyclonic circulation” remains active over the southeast Arabian Sea and the adjacent southern coast of Kerala at about 0.9 km above mean sea level.
