Heavy rain in Chennai, other parts of TN due to deep depression
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall across Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, till January 11, with a deep depression expected to cross Sri Lanka by January 10 afternoon.
A mix of yellow and orange alerts has been issued in Tamil Nadu. An orange alert has been sounded in Thiruvarur, Karaikal and Nagapattinam.
While a yellow alert has been issued in several areas, including Chennai, Thanjavur, Sivagangai, Madurai and Thiruchirapalli, for heavy rain.
IMD said in a post on X at around 3 am on Saturday that the deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal moved nearly northwestwards with a speed of eight kmph during past six hours, and lay centred at 11:30 pm of Friday January 9, over the same region – about 550 km south-southeast of Chennai.
It is likely to move northwestwards and weaken into a depression during the next six hours, the post further read.
“Thereafter, it will move west-northwestwards and cross north Sri Lanka coast between Trincomalee and Jaffna as a depression around noon/afternoon of today, 10th January, 2026,” the IMD post read.
An earlier bulletin issued a high wave alert for the coastlines of Nagapattinam and Karaikal. Waves were expected to be in the range of 2.7-3.1 metres, the bulletin said.
According to the long-range forecast of the Regional met department, heavy to very heavy rain was likely to occur at isolated places over Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore, on Saturday. It also predicted a generally cloudy sky accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.