Chennai weather: Schools in Tamil Nadu's coastal districts closed amid possibility of cyclonic storm | 10 updates

Chennai weather: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, on Tuesday said that the depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal has now intensified into a deep depression and that it is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm on Wednesday.

Owing to this, Chennai city and suburbs have been experiencing widespread rains since Tuesday morning, prompting the authorities in several Tamil Nadu districts – Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpet, Ariyalur, Sivagangai and Pudukottai – to declare holiday for schools today.

Both schools and colleges are closed in Villupuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Ramanathapuram and Trichy.

Puducherry, the neighbouring state, has also declared a holiday for all government and private schools on November 27. All government-aided schools and colleges in Puducherry and Karaikal will also be on holiday on Wednesday.

Here are top 10 updates on Chennai's weather:

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted widespread light to moderate rains for the region, with rains being heavy sometimes till Thursday (November 28) as the deep depression over the Southwest Bay of Bengal moved nearly northwards with a speed of 10 kmph in the past few hours.
• It is very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm on Wednesday. Thereafter, it will continue to move north-northwestwards towards the Tamil Nadu coast skirting the Sri Lanka coast during the subsequent two days.
• "Yesterday's depression will intensify into a deep depression... It is likely to further intensify into a cyclonic storm and move towards the north direction, towards the Tamil Nadu coast," S Balachandran, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, told news agency ANI.

• IMD has issued weather alerts for Tamil Nadu. A red alert has been issued for extremely heavy rainfall in three central districts on November 26 and two districts on November 27. Additionally, Chennai will be under a yellow alert for heavy rainfall from November 27 to 29. Neighbouring districts, including Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpet, will be under yellow and orange alerts from November 27 to 30.
• On November 27, light to moderate rain at many places with thunderstorms and lightning at one or two places is likely to occur over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal.
• On November 28, light to moderate rain is likely to occur at a few places with thunderstorms & lightning over Tamil Nadu (at many places over coastal Tamil Nadu, at a few places over interior Tamil Nadu), Puducherry, and Karaikal.

• IndiGo Airlines has issued a travel advisory regarding disruptions to flights to and from Chennai, Tuticorin, and Madurai, which continue to be impacted due to adverse weather conditions. The airline also hoped for a swift recovery from the ongoing challenges, thanking passengers for their understanding.
• "#6ETravelAdvisory: Due to adverse weather conditions, flights to/from #Chennai, #Tuticorin, and #Madurai continue to be impacted, while #Tiruchirappalli and #Salem might now also be affected," the airline posted on X.
  
  (With agency inputs)