Chennai, 20 Oct (H.S.): The Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai has issued an orange alert for 10 districts of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, warning of heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds.

The districts covered by the alert are Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Ramanathapuram. Heavy rainfall is also forecast at isolated locations in Puducherry and Karaikal.

According to the weather bulletin, an upper air cyclonic circulation persists over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Tamil Nadu coastal areas, extending to an altitude of approximately 5.8 kilometres. Under its influence, a low pressure area is likely to develop over the same region within the next 24 hours.

The bulletin also referred to an atmospheric system extending towards the north Andhra Pradesh coast at an altitude of around 3.1 kilometres, contributing to the unsettled weather.

Thunderstorms, lightning and winds reaching 40–50 kilometres per hour are expected in the districts covered by Tuesday’s warning.

Rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds is also likely in Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Kallakurichi, Tiruchirappalli, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari.

Several other parts of Tamil Nadu could receive moderate rainfall, with lightning and strong winds occurring at some locations.

For Wednesday, October 21, the centre has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts.

Thunderstorms and gusty winds are also expected across parts of the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur, Namakkal, Karur, Theni, Dindigul, Tenkasi, Madurai and Virudhunagar.

The forecast additionally covers Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Karaikal, where rain and associated thunderstorm activity are likely.

Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, moderate rain is expected at several places on Wednesday, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and winds reaching 40–50 kilometres per hour. The forecast indicates rainfall will continue across the region through Wednesday.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman