Heavy to very heavy rainfall has been reported in Kerala and Tamil Nadu during the 24 hours ending Thursday morning.
Punalur in Kerala recorded the heaviest overnight rainfall of 19 cm, followed by Kurudamannil (Pathanamthitta); and Thrissur and Enamackel - 16 cm each.
Other major stations receiving heavy rain in the State were Chengannur and Irinjalakuda: 9 cm each; Mavelikkara: 8 cm; Ambalavayal, Piravom and Thodupuzha: 7 cm each.
EASTERLY FLOWS
Heavy rainfall has been forecast over isolated places in the State until Saturday morning, an India Meteorological Department outlook said.
In Tamil Nadu, Tiruppur, Madurai, Coimbatore, Erode and Viridunagar districts witnessed heavy rain.
Isolated places in the State are forecast to receive heavy rain until Saturday morning.
Winds continue to be easterly over the Bay of Bengal and south peninsula, but curl in home as north-westerlies over Arabian Sea to complete the elongated trough pattern within which falls the rain zone.
‘LOW’ LIKELY
The north-westerly winds over the Arabian Sea have to straighten out and convert as easterlies for full-fledged North-East Monsoon to be declared in the region.
Till such time, the rain being recorded will go into the account of the extended South-West monsoon, according to IMD statistics.
Meanwhile, model forecasts put out by various agencies suggest the formation of a low-pressure area over South-West Bay of Bengal over the next couple of days.
A preparatory cyclonic circulation is already lurking in the region.
Some models indicate that the low-pressure area could intensify before hitting the south Tamil Nadu coast.
A majority of the models surveyed said the weather system will cross the Peninsular South and enter the Arabian Sea where it might re-intensify off the Karnataka coast.
Dump heavy rain
Along the track, the system will dump heavy rain over South Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and even coastal Karnataka, according to these models.
The odd forecast takes the low-pressure area north along the Tamil Nadu coast, passing over Chennai and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh, raining all the way.