More showers are likely to hit the water-starved city on Friday.
On Thursday, several localities in and around Chennai received sharp showers, bringing cheer to residents of the northern and western neighbourhoods, which have not recorded much rain since the onset of the southwest monsoon.
Automatic weather stations in Meenambakkam and Nungambakkam recorded 26.4 mm and 14.2 mm respectively, in the nine hours ending at 5.30 p.m. on Thursday. Several localities received at least 10 mm of rainfall.
The rain gauges installed at Anna University received the highest at 37 mm, followed by Madhavaram at 18 mm and Avadi at 12 mm. In south Chennai, Kolapakkam registered the highest amount of rainfall of 48 mm while Chembarambakkam, where the reservoir supplying water to Chennai is located, got 10 mm.
Meteorological department officials said the cloud cover persisting over the city for the past few days had led to the rain, which lasted about two hours.
Though peak summer ended in May, the first few days of June too, saw mercury levels going beyond 40 degree Celsius. However, this week, the clouds kept the temperature under control.
On Thursday, Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam registered temperatures of 37.6 degree Celsius and 38.4 degree Celsius, which is close to the average temperature for the month.
Y.E.A. Raj, deputy director general of meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, said localities in and around the city would benefit from the rains. Normally, rains occur in June only due to convective activity. But the sudden showers on Thursday were a consequence of the advancing southwest monsoon current and a cyclonic circulation over the middle-level of the atmosphere. “This clouding over the Bay of Bengal was unusual. Our weather models now indicate more rains in the northern districts of the State,” he said.
However, other parts of the State will not receive much rainfall. “We expect Tamil Nadu to get 15 mm of rainfall over the next week. This is normal for this period. On Friday, Kanyakumari and Nilgiris districts too, will get some rains,” he added.
