The city woke up to an overcast sky and surprise showers on Monday. Coastal districts, including Chennai, are likely to witness light showers for one or two days before the northeast monsoon withdraws from the State from January 9, say meteorologists.
During the 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Monday, Parangipettai in Cuddalore district received 3cm of rainfall, the highest for the day in the State. Poondi, Tiruttani, Ennore and Ponneri in Tiruvallur district recorded 1cm of rain.
Several areas received morning showers. The weather station in Nungambakkam recorded 2cm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Monday. Meenambakkam recorded less than 1cm of rainfall.
N. Puviarasan, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai, said the northern districts, including Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Puducherry, may receive light rain till January 8. Easterly wind speed convergence that prevailed over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north coastal Tamil Nadu in the lower atmosphere was cited as the reason for the spell. “We expect dry weather to prevail from January 9. Such showers during early January are normal as NE monsoon may spill over. However, the rainfall would be considered as rain for this year,” he said.
Officials noted that Chennai has already received copious rains for January, which is the highest in a decade. The city has recorded nearly 6.6cm of rainfall so far since January 1. Normally, Chennai receives an average of 2.6 cm of rain during January and the mean number of rainy days during this month is only 1.4.
Chennai had registered an all-time high rainfall of 24.4 cm in January 1915. The Meteorological Department predicts light rains in some areas and a generally cloudy sky on Tuesday.
