Chennai, Oct 17 (Reporter) The Depression over the bay will cross the coast close to Chennai on Thursday, even as the Northeast Monsoon in Tamil Nadu and southern Pensinsular India will remain active. The system will cross the coast and weaken into a well marked Low pressure area by forenoon today. The heavy rains on Tuesday heralded the onset of Northeast monsoon over Tamil Nadu and the rest of the southern India, five days earlier than the scheduled date of October 20. IMD said that the depression over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 22 kmph and lay centered over westcentral and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal close to south Andhra Pradesh-North Tamil Nadu Coasts, about 80 km east-northeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 150 km southeast of Nellore (Andhra Pradesh). It is likely to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu-South Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Nellore, close to north of Chennai today. Thereafter, it is very likely to continue to move west-northwestwards and weaken into a well marked low pressure area over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, as the depression moved away, it was a rain-free day yesterday, except for some slight drizzle and light showers in one or two places, prompting the Met office to withdraw the Red alert issued for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts. Sun came out briefly, though the sky remained overcast for most of the day on Wednesday, with occasionally blustery winds, which ensured that the weather conditions continued to remain chilly. The rainfall pattern was affected as the weather system was ot as strong as a Cyclone and vertically not aligned and the clouds started moving towards Andhra. The Red alert was issued taking into account various factors, including the heavy pounding the City, suburbs and neighbouring districts received on Tuesday, which subsequently subsided later in the night, and the system lay centred in the same area and inched towards the North Tamil Nadu coast. Since the weather pattern has changed due to wind shear--change in speed and direction of wind over a short distance--there were no rains and hence the Red alert was downgraded to Yellow alert for the day. However, heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Tiruppattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem.Villuppuram and Kallakurichi districts and at isolated places over Ranipet and Vellore. The forecast for Chennai is sky condition is likely to be partly cloudy. Thunderstorm and lightning with light to moderate rain likely to occur in some areas. Met office said moderate to heavy rains are likely till tomorrow with heavy to very heavy spells in one or two places, but would not be extremely heavy to that of Red Alert. Thanks to the respite from rain, stagnated water has completely receded in localities coming under the Greater Chennai Corporation, though in some areas of suburbs it has not receded. The main opposition leader AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami demanded a white paper on the steps taken by the ruling DMK to tackle the rains, Responding to this, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who visited the rain-hit areas and the Chembarambakkam, lake one of the main drinking water sources for the city, inspeced the relief works and distributed relief materials in Tiruvallur district, said wager has completely rececided in areas coming under Chennai Corporation. "There is no water stagnation and that is the white paper.", he added. On reports that some localities are still under water, Chief Minister M K Stalin, who visited various areas in the city and inspected the relief works, said relief works would continue without any interruption till the stagnated water was removed completely. He also said due to the sustained efforts made by the DMK government in undertaking storm water drain projects and flood mitigation measures, the impact was minimal considering the amount of rains received by the city on a single day...////...