Chennai Weather LATEST Update: Unusual January Rains Lash Tamil Nadu, Tenkasi Tops Rainfall Chart

Chennai Weather LATEST Update: Tamil Nadu witnessed an unusual spell of January rain as Tenkasi recorded double-century rainfall, with heavy showers also lashing Theni, Nilgiris and Coimbatore, driven by active atmospheric circulations

Tenkasi leads Tamil Nadu with exceptional rainfall

Several districts across Tamil Nadu witnessed intense rainfall early Friday, with Tenkasi district emerging as the wettest region. According to weather enthusiast Pradeep John, the Sivasailam area alone recorded 230 mm of rain by 4.30 am, an exceptionally high figure for January. Multiple locations in the district including Kadayanallur, Alwarkurichi, Alankulam and Govindaperi also received sustained and heavy showers. The rainfall has been described as “double century”, indicating totals crossing the 200 mm mark within hours.

Heavy showers extend to Theni, Nilgiris and Coimbatore

The spell was not limited to Tenkasi alone. Theni district recorded significant rainfall, with Kottakudi receiving 115 mm, Uppukottai crossing 100 mm and Bodinayakanur seeing steady showers. In the Nilgiris, Kotagiri and surrounding areas experienced heavy rain, while parts of Coimbatore district including Pollachi and Anamalai also received good precipitation. These rains followed a prolonged cold wave, marking a sudden shift in weather conditions across western and southern Tamil Nadu.

Weather systems behind the rain and what lies ahead

The Chennai Meteorological Department attributed the rainfall to two active low-level atmospheric circulations, one over the Lakshadweep–Kumari Sea region and another over the southwest Bay of Bengal near Sri Lanka. Due to this, light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is expected at isolated places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal today and tomorrow. Chennai may see partly cloudy skies, early morning fog and light rain in a few areas. Dry weather is likely from January 4 to 6, after which rainfall may return to parts of the state on January 7. Pradeep John also noted that Tenkasi, which already saw excess rainfall during the northeast monsoon, is likely to remain rain-prone through 2026.