Chennai and nearby districts experienced isolated heavy rainfall on Thursday, with showers expected to continue at a lower intensity until November 12.
Following a stretch of hot days, Chennai and nearby districts saw isolated heavy rainfall on Thursday, expected to persist at a reduced intensity until November 12, according to officials from Chennai’s Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC). An orange alert was issued for Chennai and 25 districts across Tamil Nadu on Thursday.
Since October 1, Chennai and Tamil Nadu have received 7% and 13% above-average rainfall, respectively, during this northeast monsoon season, an official reported. Typically, the northeast monsoon brings about 45 cm of rainfall to Tamil Nadu, accounting for 48% of the state’s annual rainfall, and around 87 cm to Chennai, making up 63% of the capital’s annual rainfall. This year, the monsoon arrived on October 15, according to meteorologists.
Thursday’s rains provided relief from recent weeks of heat in the city without causing significant disruptions. The showers were due to a cyclonic circulation over the central south Bay of Bengal, located about 3.1 km above mean sea level, along with a trough extending from the Gulf of Mannar across the Bay of Bengal, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC).
The RMC also forecasted thunderstorms with lightning in isolated areas of Tamil Nadu, along with sporadic heavy rainfall expected in various locations through November 12.
“For Chennai and nearby districts, including Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Thiruvallur, the sky is expected to remain generally cloudy over the next 24 hours,” said P Senthamarai Kannan, deputy director of the Regional Meteorological Centre.
“Moderate to heavy rain with thunderstorms and lightning is expected in some areas, with maximum temperatures likely around 29°C and minimum temperatures around 25°C.”
On Thursday, Madurai airport registered the highest temperature in Tamil Nadu at 35.2°C, while Erode district recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 18.8°C.
