Chennai rain intensified sharply on Saturday evening, with parts of north Chennai receiving more than 100 mm in less than an hour and Parrys recording 175 mm by 7.30 pm, raising concerns over waterlogging across low-lying areas. The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecast widespread heavy rain across Tamil Nadu until October 26.
According to rainfall data from the Department of Revenue Administration and Disaster Management, Parrys recorded the highest rainfall among the reported locations at 175 mm. Sathangadu received 140 mm, Karaikal Nagar recorded 121 mm and Tiruvottiyur received 114.90 mm by 7.30 pm.
The most intense spell was reported across north Chennai between 5.30 pm and 6.30 pm. Karaikal Nagar recorded 109.20 mm during that hour, while Sathangadu received 106.80 mm and Mappedu in Tiruvallur district recorded 100.80 mm. Weather blogger Pradeep John described the spell in north Chennai as cloudburst-like rainfall.
The heavy rain brought the risk of waterlogging in parts of Chennai, particularly in areas where intense rainfall can quickly overwhelm local drainage capacity. The supplied report did not provide an official assessment of road closures, public transport disruption or the extent of inundation.
VR Durai, director and senior atmospheric scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre, said widespread heavy rain was likely across Tamil Nadu until October 26, after which the intensity was expected to decrease. He said another system was expected to cross the Odisha coast by the end of October and bring additional rain to coastal parts of Tamil Nadu.
The weather office has forecast heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Dindigul, Theni, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari on October 20. Heavy rain is also likely in Madurai, Tiruchy, Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Karur, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi and Pudukkottai.
Durai said northeast monsoon showers generally occur during the evening and around midnight, while low-pressure systems can bring rainfall during the daytime. He added that the Ghat districts, adjoining areas and several southern districts were likely to receive more rainfall than the northern coastal districts.
In Chennai, the maximum temperature is expected to remain around 33 degrees Celsius and the minimum around 24 degrees Celsius under cloudy skies. Maximum temperatures across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are expected to remain near normal until October 21. The Regional Meteorological Centre’s current forecast remains in force through October 26, with a further system expected to affect coastal Tamil Nadu towards the end of October.
