Chennai Weather LATEST Update: Final Spell of Northeast Monsoon May Bring Rain to Coastal Tamil Nadu

Chennai Weather LATEST Update: Tamil Nadu may witness one of final rain spells of northeast monsoon, with light to moderate showers forecast mainly in northern, coastal regions till December 28, colder nights, frost warnings add to winter conditions

Rainfall outlook till end of December

The Regional Meteorological Centre has predicted light to moderate rainfall across parts of Tamil Nadu until December 28. Officials indicated that the rain activity on Christmas Day would largely affect north Tamil Nadu, while southern districts are expected to remain dry. After a short break, coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry may see another spell of rain around December 30.

Drop in temperatures and frost warning

With dry conditions prevailing over most regions, meteorologists have observed a likely fall in minimum temperatures by two to three degrees Celsius below normal in some areas. Chennai is expected to experience cool, pleasant mornings with mist or haze, along with a chance of light rain. The RMC explained that strengthening easterly winds could trigger mild showers over north coastal districts. Enhanced night-time cooling over hill regions may lead to ground frost, prompting warnings for isolated areas of Kodaikanal and the Nilgiris.

Weather observations and monsoon status

Among hill stations, Udhagamandalam reported the lowest minimum temperature at 5.4 degrees Celsius, followed by Kodaikanal and Coonoor. Several places in the plains, including Salem and Namakkal, also recorded below-normal night temperatures, while Tiruttani marked the lowest minimum among plains stations. Since October 1, Tamil Nadu has received 42.7 cm of rainfall, marginally below the seasonal average but still classified as normal. The department considers December 31 as the official conclusion of the northeast monsoon, though occasional rainfall may continue into January, as seen in previous years.