NE monsoon to hit on Thursday

With the southwest monsoon expected to withdraw on Wednesday, conditions are favourable for the northeast monsoon to commence on October 26.

Dr S Balachandran, deputy director general, Regional Meteorological Centre, said: "The conditions are favourable for withdrawal of southwest monsoon from the entire country by October 25 and subsequently conditions are favourable for the commencement of northeast monsoon rains over Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, south interior Karnataka and Kerala around October 26."

Normally, the onset of northeast monsoon takes place over coastal Tamil Nadu by October 20. In 2016, the withdrawal of southwest monsoon occurred on October 17.

According to the Met department statistics, during October-December 2016, four low-pressure systems formed over the Bay of Bengal.