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Rain, thunderstorms likely in Chennai as Cyclone Montha inches closer to coast
Four districts of northern Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, received heavy rain on Monday.
Chennai rain: Chennai and many parts of Tamil Nadu are likely to witness moderate rain, light thunderstorm and lightning as cyclonic storm ‘Montha’ hovered over the Bay of Bengal, about 480 km east of the city, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said.
A yellow alert has been issued for Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur, Villupuram, Ranipet and other districts. Follow Cyclone Montha Live Updates
Also Read | Chennai rain: Heavy rainfall likely, IMD warns of slippery roads, traffic snarls
Chennai weather today
According to IMD, the nearing Cyclone Month is likely to bring light to moderate rainfall at most places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, with "heavy to very heavy rainfall" at isolated places on Tuesday.
The weather forecast for Chennai on Tuesday is a generally cloudy sky with heavy rainfall. The minimum temperature is expected to settle at 24 degrees Celsius, while the maximum is likely to be around 29 degrees Celsius.
Heavy rain batters Chennai, nearby districts
The IMD cautioned that waterlogging and slippery roads could disrupt traffic and advised residents to remain indoors and avoid low-lying areas.
RMC Director B Amudha said Cyclone Montha is expected to move north-northwest and make landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh as a severe cyclonic storm on the evening or night of October 28.
‘No major damage expected in Tamil Nadu,’ says Udhayanidhi
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said the cyclone is unlikely to cause major damage in the state.
“The meteorological department has said there will be no very heavy rain for the next 10 days. But even if it rains heavily, the government is prepared,” he said after inspecting preparedness works in North Chennai and Tiruvallur, where 50–70 mm of rainfall is forecast.
Cyclone Montha to intensify?
“Cyclonic Storm Montha over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm by the morning of October 28 and cross the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam (near Kakinada) by the evening or night of October 28, with wind speeds reaching 90–100 km/h,” the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on last Thursday said that a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, off the Tamil Nadu coast, is expected to weaken within the next 24 hours.
In a post on X, the IMD said, “The well-marked low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal off the Tamil Nadu coast moved northwestwards across north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh coasts, and lay over north coastal Tamil Nadu and its neighbourhood at 5:30 pm IST on October 22, 2025.”
“It is likely to move west-northwestwards across north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh and weaken into a low-pressure area during the next 24 hours,” the department added.
Health Minister Ma Subramanian also reviewed preparedness measures at a meeting in Neelankarai on Monday.
“At present, there are six water bodies serving as drinking water sources for Chennai. The water storage in these water bodies is 10,274 million cubic feet (Mcft) of water but a total of 13,222 Mcft of water can be stored. We have also released approximately 750 mcft of surplus water in stages — 100 mcft, 200 mcft and 500 mcft,” said the minister.
What is cyclone Montha?
Cyclone Montha is a tropical storm that developed over the central Bay of Bengal and is currently moving towards the Andhra Pradesh coast.
According to the India Meteorological Department, it is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 90–100 km/h before making landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada.
The system has already brought heavy rainfall to parts of northern Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, and is being closely monitored by weather authorities.
