Tamil Nadu received 92% excess rain this southwest monsoon so far

CHENNAI: The ongoing southwest monsoon season has been favorable for Tamil Nadu, with the State receiving nearly double the usual rainfall so far. The intense spells in Tamil Nadu in the last two months have resulted in 92 per cent excess rainfall, show data from the weather department.

Chennai recorded 97 per cent excess rainfall, while it was much higher in the case of its neighbouring districts. Kancheepuram recorded 135 per cent extra rainfall, Chengalpattu 121 per cent and Tiruvallur 110 per cent, the data showed.

The final number is expected to be even higher, as the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, has issued a yellow warning for several districts of Western Ghats and interior Tamil Nadu, predicting heavy rain for the next two days under the influence of a trough over the sea.

From the beginning of the southwest monsoon on June 1 to August 13, Tamil Nadu received 288 mm of rainfall against the average of 150.6 mm, which works out to 92 per cent excess.

The district that recorded the widest variation was Tirunelveli, which received 419 per cent more that its average - 238.1 mm rainfall this year against 45.9 mm of normal rainfall. The Nilgiris received the highest volume of rainfall during this period, 1,043.5 mm, which is 90 per cent higher than its normal rainfall of 548.2 mm.

Chennai received 441.9 mm rainfall as against the normal of 224.7, an excess of 97 per cent.

Out of the 39 districts in Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry and Karaikal in the neighbourhood, 26 districts received large excess rainfall, while 3 districts recorded excess rainfall, and three others had normal rainfall.

However, even in the midst of this bounty, there were seven districts reported deficient monsoon. Nagapattinam district stood out as the lone district with large deficiency of 26 per cent.

For the next two days, the RMC, Chennai, has predicted heavy rain over Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Theni, Dindigul, Tirupur, the Nilgiris, Erode, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Salem and Namakkal due to a trough from south interior Karnataka to Comorin area now running from Rayalaseema to Comorin area at 0.9 km above mean sea level.

The rest of the State Tami Nadu is likely to witness light to moderate rain in the coming days. For the next few days, Tamil Nadu is expected to receive above-normal rainfall due to the trough over the sea.

In Chennai and its suburbs, the weathermen have forecast that the sky conditions would be cloudy and some areas may receive mild showers especially during the evening and night hours for the next two days.

Also, as strong winds would prevail over the Gulf of Mannar, south Tamil Nadu coast and adjoining the Comorin area, with the wind speed reaching 35 kmph to 45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph. Citing this, the fishermen in Tamil Nadu were advised not to venture into the sea till August 16.