A low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm in the coming days, bringing rainfall to several parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the weather department said.
Fishermen have been advised against venturing into several parts of the Bay of Bengal until November 17 in view of the developing weather system.
The low-pressure area formed on Friday under the influence of an upper-air cyclonic circulation over the central Andaman Sea and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is expected to move northwestwards initially and intensify over the weekend before tracking north-northwestwards towards the central Bay of Bengal, where conditions are favourable for further development into a cyclonic storm.
A trough associated with the circulation also extends towards the northern Maldives across the adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean.
The evolving weather system is expected to influence rainfall activity across Tamil Nadu over the next few days.
On Saturday, isolated rainfall is likely in districts along the Western Ghats, including the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruppur and Tenkasi. Virudhunagar, Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli districts may also receive rain at one or two places.
Isolated showers are also forecast over northern coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
On Sunday and Monday, light to moderate rainfall is likely at isolated places across the Western Ghats districts, southern Tamil Nadu and northern coastal parts of the state.
In Chennai, partly cloudy skies are expected on Saturday, with light rain likely in some areas. Further showers are also possible in the city and other parts of northern Tamil Nadu as the system strengthens and moves over the Bay of Bengal.
Meanwhile, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the southwest, southeast, southern and central Bay of Bengal until November 17, with rough sea conditions expected across these areas due to the developing system.
In the 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Friday, Mambazhathuraiyar in Kanniyakumari district recorded the highest rainfall in Tamil Nadu at six centimetres.