A red alert for extremely heavy rain was issued for Madurai, Theni and Dindigul on the morning of October 25; the afternoon update moved it to Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Tiruchirappalli. The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to become Cyclone Arnab on October 26 and near the Andhra Pradesh coast by October 28.
A red alert for extremely heavy rain was issued for Madurai, Theni and Dindigul on the morning of October 25; the afternoon update moved it to Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Tiruchirappalli. The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to become Cyclone Arnab on October 26 and near the Andhra Pradesh coast by October 28.
Heavy rain continues across Tamil Nadu on Sunday, October 25, 2026. A red alert for extremely heavy rain — over 20 cm at isolated places — is in force for Madurai, Theni and Dindigul, with thunder, lightning and strong winds.
In its afternoon update on October 25, the Meteorological Department shifted the red alert to Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Tiruchirappalli, where extremely heavy rain is possible at one or two places. Madurai and Dindigul moved to orange, and Theni to yellow.
| Alert (afternoon update) | Districts |
|---|---|
| 🔴 Red | Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchirappalli |
| 🟠 Orange | Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Karur, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Salem, Namakkal, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Villupuram (and Puducherry, Karaikal) |
| 🟡 Yellow | Erode, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Virudhunagar, Tiruvannamalai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Theni, Kanniyakumari |
The morning alerts are kept below for reference.
| Alert | Districts |
|---|---|
| 🔴 Red — extremely heavy rain | Madurai, Theni, Dindigul |
| 🟠 Orange — heavy to very heavy rain | Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchirappalli, Karur, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Sivaganga (and Karaikal) |
| 🟡 Yellow — heavy rain | Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Erode, Virudhunagar, Kanniyakumari |
| Date | Expected stage |
|---|---|
| Oct 24 | Low-pressure area strengthened into a deep depression |
| Oct 25 | Strengthening further, moving west-northwest over the Bay |
| Oct 26 (morning) | Cyclonic storm — named “Arnab” |
| Oct 28 (morning) | Near the Andhra Pradesh coast (between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam) |
At landfall, winds of 115–125 km/h gusting to 140 km/h are forecast. Cyclone warning signals have been hoisted at ports including Chennai, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Karaikal, Pamban and Thoothukudi, and fishermen have been advised not to go to sea.
These are forecasts and may change. The storm is moving away from Tamil Nadu, but it is keeping the northeast monsoon very active over the State.
In the 24 hours before Sunday morning, Burliar recorded 25 cm, Lower Kotagiri 20 cm and Coonoor 17 cm. Landslides were reported at about 22 places; tourist spots remain closed and visitors have been asked to stay away for three days. Full details: read more ›
People in the red- and orange-alert districts should avoid rivers, streams and low-lying areas, stay away from fallen wires and follow the Collector’s announcements. Emergency: 1070 (state), 1077 (district), 112. All helplines: Monsoon Help Centre ›
Northeast Monsoon Cyclone Arnab Red Alert Madurai Day 169