Get ready, North Tamil Nadu! Cyclone Montha is making its presence felt, currently positioned approximately 520 km from Chennai. This powerful storm is set to unleash heavy rainfall across the region until it makes landfall on Tuesday evening or night.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai has issued an orange alert, warning of intense rainfall—up to 20 cm—for Chennai and its adjacent districts of Ranipet, Vellore, and Tiruvannamalai. This alert is valid for 24 hours, concluding at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Other areas bracing for heavy downpours include Villupuram, Cuddalore, Nilgiris, the Ghat regions of Coimbatore, and Puducherry.
Stay informed with the latest developments on Cyclone Montha.
According to the RMC’s Nowcast issued until 1 p.m. on Monday, Chennai and its nearby districts, along with Villupuram and Ranipet, can expect continued moderate rainfall. Further south, Coimbatore, Theni, Nilgiris, and Dindigul areas are forecasted to experience light to moderate showers.
Moving steadily at 18 kmph over the last six hours, Cyclone Montha is currently situated in the southwest, adjoining west-central, and southeast Bay of Bengal. It is approximately 520 km east-southeast of Chennai and 570 km south-southeast of Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.
Forecasters anticipate Montha will strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning. Its path is expected to continue northwestwards, eventually making landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast, specifically between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada. Expect wind speeds reaching a formidable 90-100 kmph, with gusts potentially hitting up to 110 kmph.
Over the past 24 hours, ending at 8:30 a.m., parts of the state have already experienced moderate rainfall. Notably, Korattur in Chennai and Tiruttani each recorded 5 cm, marking the highest rainfall in the state during this period.
Continued Rainfall Expected
North Tamil Nadu should brace for continued scattered rainfall on Tuesday, intensified by the ongoing cyclonic storm. Tiruvallur, in particular, is expected to endure intense downpours. A yellow alert has also been issued for seven districts, including Ranipet, Kancheepuram, and Chennai, for the same day.
Adding to the complexity, another active weather system lingering over the Arabian Sea is poised to bring rain to parts of South Tamil Nadu and districts bordering the Western Ghats through Tuesday. The RMC cautions that strong surface winds, gusting up to 50 kmph, will sweep across North coastal and adjacent districts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the Karaikal area on both Monday and Tuesday.
For the safety of all, fishermen have been strongly advised against venturing into the sea until October 30. Squally winds are anticipated to churn along and off the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast, over the Gulf of Mannar, and in the Comorin area.
Closer to Chennai, the floodgates of the Red Hills reservoir have been closed due to reduced inflow and a pause in Monday’s rainfall. Conversely, the Poondi reservoir, a vital drinking water source for the city, saw its water discharge progressively increased to 7,000 cubic feet per second on Monday morning, prompted by significant inflows from upstream check dams in both Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.