Chennai, Nov 8 (IANS): Heavy rain and thunderstorms will continue in Chennai and almost all other districts of Tamil Nadu in the next two days, the regional centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.

The heavy rain that lashed Chennai and other adjoining areas of the state capital were due to a cyclonic circulation over the southeast Bay of Bengal and the adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean extending up to 4.5 km above sea level.

The IMD has predicted that low pressure may form over the southeast Bay of Bengal and surrounding areas by Tuesday, which will become more pronounced and move in the direction of Tamil Nadu's northern coast in the next 48 hours.

The interior parts of the state will also receive heavy rain, as well as the isolated places over the Nilgiris, Erode, Krishnagiri and Coimbatore districts.

The weather department also said that Madurai, Virudhunagar and the Cauvery Delta will also witness torrential downpours.

The IMD said that from October 1 to November 7, Chennai has received 26 per cent surplus rain and the state as a whole withnessed 43 per cent more downpour than the usual volume.

Heavy rain in a short time frame is called mesoscale phenomenon and this cannot be predicted easily, the IMD said.