Weather today: Chennai, Andhra Pradesh on high rainfall alert; IMD warns of more cold waves in Delhi, Punjab. Check latest update

Chennai and its neighboring areas were hit with torrential rains on Monday due to the remnants of the now weakened Cyclone Ditwah, which left roads, highways and low-lying areas submerged. As of December 2, the remnant of cyclonic storm Ditwah over the Southwest Bay of Bengal and adjacent North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts moved slowly northward at a speed of 3 km per hour and was centered at 50 km east of Chennai, 140 km northeast of Puducherry, 160 km north-northeast of Cuddalore and 170 km at 11.30 am. It is south-southeast of Nellore of Andhra Pradesh.

“The minimum distance of the Deep Depression center from the North Tamilnadu-Puducherry coast is about 35 km,” the Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) in Chennai said. It is likely to turn into a depression in the next 12 hours at least 30 km from the Chennai coast by Monday night, the weather agency added.

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Chennai, Kancheepuram will receive heavy rain today

IMD has predicted heavy rain at isolated places over Tiruvallur, Chennai.
Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Heavy rains in isolated areas are also likely in south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema, the IMD said in a press release.

The statement said, “Against the coasts of Northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Southern Andhra Pradesh, gusty wind speeds ranging from 50-60 gale force winds to 70 km/h are dominant, and it is likely to drop from 45-55 gale force winds to 65 km/h on the night of December 1, and from 40-50 gale force winds to 60 km/h on the morning of 2 December.”

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The weather office has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts till Tuesday morning due to the remnants of cyclonic storm Ditwah remaining close to the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast.

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IMD warns winter could be harsher in northern India

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday forecast a colder than normal winter season (December-February) for large parts of central India, including Madhya Pradesh, parts of northern and eastern Maharashtra and Gujarat, as well as adjoining northwestern regions such as Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, eastern and southeastern Rajasthan, and western and southern Uttar Pradesh. The cold is also expected to intensify in Telangana on the Indian subcontinent, with below normal day and night temperatures and 4-5 extra cold wave days expected.

Most of these states are expected to experience below-normal temperatures and one to three additional cold front days in December. This means there may be 3-6 days of cold weather throughout the month.

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“During the coming winter season (December 2025 to February 2026), normal to below normal minimum (night) temperatures are likely to be experienced in most parts of central India and adjoining peninsula and northwestern India… However, some areas, including parts of northwestern India, northeastern India and areas in the foothills of the Himalayas, are likely to experience above normal maximum (daytime) temperatures,” IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.

Explaining the outlook for the cold weather season, he said: “The occurrence of cold waves in December is likely to be above normal in the northwestern, central and northeastern parts of India.”

(With TOI and agency inputs)