The India Meteorological Department’s Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai has announced that the northeast monsoon has set in over the south peninsula, while the southwest monsoon has withdrawn completely from the remaining parts of the country.
Heavy Rain in the South
The IMD has forecast isolated very heavy rainfall over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal. Parts of South India are expected to witness heavy rainfall in the coming days with the onset of the northeast monsoon. Light to moderate rainfall was recorded over Tamil Nadu and Kerala earlier in the week.
Forecast Through October 20
The IMD’s bulletin warns of isolated heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during October 16 to 20; in Kerala and Mahe during the same period; in Coastal Karnataka and Rayalaseema during October 16 to 18; in North Interior Karnataka and Telangana during October 17 and 18; and in South Interior Karnataka during October 17 to 20. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam may also see heavy rainfall during October 15 to 19.
What Changes on the Ground
With the southwest monsoon fully withdrawn from the country, the northeast monsoon now becomes the dominant weather system for the southern peninsula. The northeast monsoon typically brings rain to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, coastal Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka, and it is a critical rainfall season for these states after the southwest monsoon’s retreat. Farmers in the region track the onset closely, since the rains recharge groundwater and reservoirs after the main kharif season, while city administrations brace for waterlogging and disruptions.
Hailstorm Risk in the North
The department has also predicted hailstorm activity in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. The alerts follow the monsoon’s expected onset flagged earlier this week, and residents across the region have been getting familiar with extended wet spells — Arunachal itself braced for five days of rain earlier this season.
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