While many parts of Coimbatore City and its peripheral areas witnessed an overcast sky with rain ranging from a drizzle to mild showers, the catchment areas of Parambikulam – Aliyar Project (PAP) witnessed a downpour, improving the inflow into PAP reservoirs.
Coimbatore district recorded a total rainfall of 399.50 mm and the average rainfall stood at 33.29 mm and the highest was reported at Chinna Kallar, which recorded a highest of 182 mm.
Heavy rains in Siruvani and in PAP areas came as a ray of hope in meeting the drinking water needs in urban areas and that of the irrigation requirements in rural areas.
South-West Monsoon, expected to set in by June 1 after having remained weak for more than a fortnight, finally arrived.
However, with the anticipated setting in of the El-Nino factor (warming up of the sea surface over the eastern equatorial pacific region) in August, its impact could be predicted only after July. But, the general indications were that the South-West Monsoon, from June to September, would bring a slightly lesser than average or normal rainfall.
Conditions during July would confirm whether Tamil Nadu would experience the El-Nino factor. However, in the event of an El-Nino leaving the State with less than average or normal rainfall, rain during October to December as part of the North-East Monsoon would be more than average and normal, thus, compensating the shortfall caused by South-West Monsoon.
As far as Coimbatore district was concerned, the rainfall pattern over the last five years from 2007 to 2011 has never been consistent with the South-West Monsoon accounting for a lowest of 140.72 mm over four months (June to September) during 2008 and the highest of 245.6 mm.
The sky remained overcast on Monday with chilly wind. However, many parts of the city witnessed only mild showers.
Rainfall recorded in the last 24 hours that ended at 8.30 a.m. on Monday in mm: Peelamedu Airport - 4.70, Mettupalayam - 1, Pollachi - 2, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University - 9, Chincona - 88, Valparai - 62, Valparai taluk - 45, and Coimbatore South - 5.30.
In the areas coming under the Parambikulam – Aliyar Project (PAP) of the Water Resource Organisation of the Public Works Department, the rainfall had been encouraging, renewing the hopes of the farming community. Manacadavu witnessed 11 mm rainfall, Sircarpathy 12 and Kadamparai 5.
Storage in reservoirs and Full Reservoir Level (FRL) in brackets: Sholayar had 66.40 ft (160 ft), the inflow was 949 cusecs and outflow was nil (rainfall 66 mm); Parambikulam had 43 ft (72 ft), inflow was 40 cusecs and outflow was 17 cusecs (rainfall 53 mm); Aliyar had 92.25 ft (120 ft), inflow was 33 cusecs and outflow was 305 cusecs;
Amaravathy had 32.87 ft (90 ft) and inflow was 139 cusecs and outflow was 7 cusecs (rainfall 5 mm).
