Rain gives respite to Chennai, outskirts, likely to continue

CHENNAI: Sudden downpour on Thursday night in Chennai city and its suburbs brought relief from soaring temperatures for the past few days.

It is likely to continue due to a trough formed near Tamil Nadu region, which intensed the Southwest monsoon rainfall pattern.

Many areas in Chennai include Ambattur, Tondiarpet, Anna Nagar and Kodambakkam experienced moderate rain along with strong winds which continued for several hours and left the streets inundated. Chennai district recorded 1 cm of rainfall from last night.

Even the maximum temperature was reduced on Friday morning with 35.5 degree Celsius and 36.5 degree Celsius at Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam weather stations respectively.

P Senthamarai Kannan, Scientist E, Regional Meteorological Center (RMC), Chennai said, "For Chennai, the sky is generally to be cloudy and moderate rains with thunderstorm activity will be continued during the night times for the next 48 hours. However, the city outskirts are expected to receive heavy rain and report copious amounts of rainfall."

Due to the prevailing upper air circulation in the TN region which has intensified the rainfall pattern in the State.

At least five districts - Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindigul and Theni are likely to get heavy rains for the next 24 hours. From Sunday, western ghats districts are expected to get rains for the same.

Fishermen warning issued till July 26, as strong wind expected to blow at a speed of 40 kmph to 50 kmph over southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, South Tamil Nadu coast, Gulf of Mannar and Comorin area in Kanyakumari.

During the last 24 hours, Thanjavur and Salem had the highest amount of rainfall with 17 cm each, followed by Namakkal, Krishnagiri 13 cm each, Tiruchy, Karur, Tiruvallur received 11 cm of rainfall each.