Southwest monsoon advances: Heavy rain, strong winds across Tamil Nadu till June 9
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, has forecast widespread rainfall, thunderstorms, and strong winds across large parts of Tamil Nadu from Saturday, 7 June through 9 June 2025, as the southwest monsoon continues its northward advance over southern India. The alert covers coastal, interior, and hilly districts, with fishermen warned to stay off the sea during the period.
Monsoon Advance and Weather System
According to the weather department, an upper-air cyclonic circulation is persisting over coastal Karnataka and adjoining areas at altitudes between 3.1 km and 4.5 km above mean sea level. This system is driving moisture-laden winds inland.
The southwest monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of the southwest and southeast Arabian Sea, sections of the west-central and east-central Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep, parts of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, as well as large areas of the Bay of Bengal.
District-wise Forecast: Saturday and Sunday
On Saturday, 7 June, light to moderate rain with thunderstorms is likely at isolated places across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal. Heavy rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph is expected in the hilly regions of Coimbatore district and in the Nilgiris, Theni, and Dindigul districts.
Isolated heavy rainfall and strong winds are also forecast for Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Erode, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tirupattur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruppur, Madurai, and Virudhunagar.
For Sunday, 8 June, the RMC has predicted light to moderate rain with thunderstorms across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal. Heavy rainfall is likely in the Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Dindigul, Theni, Kanyakumari, and the hilly areas of Coimbatore district. Thunderstorms with gusty winds are expected to continue in Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Erode, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Virudhunagar, and Madurai.
Chennai Outlook
In Chennai, the sky is expected to remain partly cloudy on Saturday, with some parts of the city likely to receive light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms. The maximum temperature is forecast at 38°C to 39°C, with the minimum hovering between 29°C and 30°C.
Maritime Warning: Fishermen Advised to Stay Ashore
The weather department has issued a formal warning for fishermen and maritime activities. Strong winds with speeds of 40–50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, are likely over the Tamil Nadu coast, Gulf of Mannar, and Comorin Sea from Saturday through 9 June.
Similar rough conditions are expected over the southern Bay of Bengal, adjoining central Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea, the Kerala–Karnataka coast, Lakshadweep, and the Maldives region. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during the warning period and to exercise extreme caution.
With the monsoon advancing steadily, weather conditions across Tamil Nadu are expected to remain active through next week.