Chennai rain: Northeast monsoon likely to set in on Oct 8

CHENNAI: Conditions are favourable for the onset of the northeast monsoon by October 8, much before its normal start, said India Meteorological Department deputy director S Balachandran here on Friday.
"There is a low-pressure area in the Arabian Sea which will strengthen into a cyclone and move towards Oman. Apart from this, another system is also likely to develop in the Bay of Bengal around October 8. Due to both these systems, Tamil Nadu will receive good rainfall," Balachandran told TOI.

He said the conditions like the direction of wind and anti-cyclonic conditions had set in.

"The southwest monsoon has withdrawn, and the wind direction has changed favouring setting in of the northeast monsoon. The winds are stronger due to which systems will be formed one after another in the Bay of Bengal. As the conditions are favourable, we expect the northeast monsoon to set in by October 8," he said.

Tamil Nadu gets nearly 48% of the total rainfall during the northeast monsoon which normally sets in by October 15 and goes on till December end.