India Meteorological Department warns of heavy rain across Tamil Nadu districts

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heavy‑rainfall alert for several districts in Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry as a weather trough spanning the southeast Arabian Sea to the central Bay of Bengal intensifies. For Thursday, May 21 2026, the agency warned of heavy downpours in the hilly areas of Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Theni, Erode and Dindigul, with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 40‑50 km/h.

The wet spell is expected to strengthen on Friday, spreading to Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Namakkal, Tiruchirappalli, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Tirupattur and additional parts of Nilgiris and Erode. Authorities urged residents to stay vigilant for water‑logging, landslides and travel disruptions, and to monitor local weather bulletins. While interior districts may receive relief from the prevailing heat, Chennai and north‑coastal areas will remain hot and humid, with temperatures near 40 °C.