The well-marked low-pressure area over Sri Lanka and adjoining South-West Bay of Bengal may not intensify further, according to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
But this is not to be taken as a sign of any thaw in the intensity of the overall rainfall for Coastal Tamil Nadu as per the assessment by the US Climate Prediction Centre.
Earlier in the morning, the well-marked 'low' had hit Lanka, and India Met Department had expected the remnant of the system to consolidate as a depression and hit the Tamil Nadu coast.
Even without intensification, the remnant 'low' has enough in it to sustain rainfall over Tamil Nadu, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, South Interior Karnataka and Kerala.
Rain or thundershowers have been lashing a number of places including Chennai and Bengaluru, where the second day's play of the second cricket test match between India and South Africa is threatened with a likely washout due to persistent rain.
Thunderclouds have now spread out into more parts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh, South Interior Karnataka and Kerala, latest satellite pictures show. Heavy rains have started to lash Thiruvananthapuram.
MORE RAIN FOR TN
Meanwhile, the US Climate Prediction Centre has forecast heavy to very heavy flooding rain for entire Tamil Nadu coast until November 20, up to which forecasts are available.
This will be irrespective of what the current well-marked 'low' would be able to accomplish before pushing West-Northwest over interior Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Coastal Karnataka in the next few days.
Even after this, there would be a 'live' trough of low pressure looming large over the entire Bay of Bengal capable of pumping in moisture transported by marauding Easterly winds.
Already, a 10-day-long forecast by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology had suggested heavy rain for the region until November 22.
The US Centre's assessment goes to corroborate and validate the finding of the Indian counterpart.
An India Met update said that rain or thundershowers lashed many places of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and isolated places in Lakshadweep until 5.30 pm during the day on Saturday.
WIND ALERT
High wind alert has been declared along and off the Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and South Andhra Pradesh coasts for today (Sunday).
A warning with respect to heavy to very heavy to even extremely heavy rain is valid variously for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, South Interior Karnataka and Kerala over the next three days until Wednesday.