TN districts to get normal South West monsoon: TNAU

According to a forecast by Agro Climate Research Centre of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore is expected to receive 213 mm rainfall as against the districts average rainfall of 189.8 mm.

Other western districts that are expected to receive normal rainfall are Nilgiris – 772mm, Erode – 200mm, Theni – 169mm, Dharmapuri – 372mm, Namakkal – 376mm, Salem – 391mm. Districts such as Tirupur, Thootukudi, Pudukottai, Ariyalur and Dindugul are expected to experience less than usual precipitation. The rainfall is projected to be 20 per cent to 59 per cent less than the mean seasonal rainfall.

Tirupur is expected to receive 123mm less rainfall than its average of 154.8mm. Kanyakumari is predicted to get 541mm of rains this monsoon is closely followed by Vellore with 532mm and Chennai with 414mm. These districts are likely to receive comparatively higher amounts of precipitation this season.

On the other hand, Ramanathapuram with 175mm, Tirunelveli with 126mm and Thootukudi with 60mm of expected rainfall, are likely to be the districts with the lowest rainfall.

Despite being situated a rain shadow area when the southwest monsoons are considered, Tamil Nadu will probably receive more than 32 per cent of the total annual rainfall this monsoon. Districts like Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Salem, Nilgiris and Kanyakumari and western parts of Vellore and Tirunelveli are usually benefited from this season’s rainfall.

The district level rainfall forecast for the ensuing southwest monsoon (June to September) is based on the southern oscillation index of the summer season and sea surface temperature values of the Pacific and Indian Ocean using the Australian software named Rainman International V.4.2.