Chennai is likely to receive moderate to heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning from Friday after the India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for the city and neighbouring districts. The warning covers rainfall of 6–12cm in 24 hours over the next four days, with the forecast likely to affect daily travel and local urban services.
The rain is linked to a low-pressure area that formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal and has since moved towards the Comorin region and adjoining parts of southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The system’s associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 5.8km above mean sea level, according to the IMD account cited in the report.
The circulation is helping lift moist air, which cools and condenses to form rain-bearing clouds. The system, along with wider atmospheric instability, is expected to sustain rainfall across several parts of Tamil Nadu. An IMD official said the system may move northwards, bringing rain to Chennai and surrounding areas.
The city experienced sunshine and cloudy spells during the day, followed by light rain in some areas on Thursday night. Conditions are expected to become wetter from Friday, when moderate to heavy showers, thunderstorms and lightning are forecast in Chennai.
The IMD has forecast heavy rain in 26 districts on Friday, including Chennai and Tiruvallur. From October 24 to 26, the warning will also cover Chengelpet and Kancheepuram, as well as several delta and interior districts. An orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain has been issued for districts along the Western Ghats from October 23 to 26.
The forecast places Chennai within a broader weather system affecting multiple districts rather than an isolated city shower. For residents, the immediate urban implications include potentially difficult road travel during intense spells, reduced visibility during thunderstorms and local disruption in areas that receive concentrated rainfall. The supplied report does not specify any traffic restrictions, school closures, flooding advisories or civic emergency measures.
Temperatures are expected to remain relatively low under cloudy skies, with maximum temperatures of 31–32°C and minimum temperatures of 25–26°C, according to the IMD. The agency’s warning remains the principal operational update available in the report, with rainfall conditions expected to continue across the city and nearby districts during the forecast period.
