People walk amid heavy rain triggered by northeast monsoon in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. (Photo: PTI)

Heavy rain across South India on Friday as new Bay of Bengal system brews

Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep face another spell of rain, while a developing Bay of Bengal system could influence weather in the coming days. Read the latest forecast here.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Thunderstorms with lightning, gusty winds expected in parts of south India
  • Low pressure system likely to form over Bay of Bengal, may intensify
  • Dry weather expected in northwest, central, western and northeast India

Rainfall activity is expected to remain intense across parts of south India on Friday, October 23, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting heavy to very heavy rain in several areas, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep.

In its latest weather forecast, the IMD also warned of thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds across parts of southern India.

Meanwhile, most of the northwest, central, western and northeastern India are likely to experience largely dry weather, with no significant weather activity expected during the week.

Aircraft parked on a wet tarmac at Chennai International Airport following rainfall. (Photo: PTI)

HEAVY RAIN TO CONTINUE IN SOUTH

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, Mahe and Lakshadweep on October 23.

Heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places over Andhra Pradesh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, coastal Karnataka and south interior Karnataka.

Isolated thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph are likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal.

People walk with umbrellas during rainfall, in Kerala. (Photo: PTI)

Other parts of the region, including Kerala, Lakshadweep, interior Karnataka and Rayalaseema, may experience thunderstorms with gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph.

The weather department has also forecast strong surface winds at isolated places over Andhra Pradesh.

The rainfall comes amid an active spell of post-monsoon weather over southern India, where atmospheric systems are continuing to bring moisture and trigger rain even as the southwest monsoon season has ended.

Waves crash at the shore on a cloudy evening during sunset at a beach in Kerala. (Photo: PTI)

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS COMING

A key development is the likely formation of a low-pressure area over the southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal around October 23, according to the IMD.

The system is expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify further. A low-pressure area is a region where atmospheric pressure is relatively lower than its surroundings, encouraging air to converge and rise. This can help form clouds and trigger rainfall.

The developing system could influence weather over parts of the eastern and southern regions in the coming days. The IMD has forecast fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands through October 28, with isolated heavy rain likely on October 23.

A satellite image shows the weather systems over the Indian subcontinent. (Photo: IMD)

Rainfall is also expected to continue across Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep over the next few days, while the IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in parts of these regions through October 25 or 26.

The department has also indicated that a fresh western disturbance could affect northwest India from October 24. However, its broader outlook does not indicate significant weather activity across northwest, central, western and northeastern India during the week.

- Ends