There may not be much rain on Wednesday, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts fewer showers for the next two days.
The trough over the Bay of Bengal, which contributed to the recent heavy spell of rain, has weakened and the new low pressure area forming over the Arabian Sea may not have much impact on the State, said S.R. Ramanan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD.
Chennai has received 31 cm since October 1, and Meenambakkam recorded 27 cm during the same period. Elaborating on the northeast monsoon rainfall, L.S. Rathore, director general, IMD, said the State will get normal or above normal rain, which is up to 19 per cent more than the normal rainfall this season.
Partnerships
The IMD is considering options to partner with private players in order to improve mobile application services.
Mr. Rathore, who was in the city on Tuesday, said private players like Accuweather who offer weather forecasting services have approached the department. “We are looking at the possibility of tie-ups to share weather information and technology for broader network and better forecasting for mobile apps,” he said.
Admitting that there are some gaps in weather prediction, he said the department is striving to upgrade services, particularly thunder-related forecast, and bring down casualties under the 12th Five Year Plan.
Measures are being taken to improve ‘nowcast’ predictions for the next four to six hours through better weather models and a broader network, he added.
On the steps taken to disseminate information for disaster management, S.B. Thampi, deputy director general of meteorology, said a group comprising representatives of various government agencies has been formed on WhatsApp to share data and forecast this monsoon.
