Chennai rains: City likely to receive a breather on Oct 16, say popular weather bloggers
While it may receive normal rains, Chennai is unlikely to experience a repeat of Tuesday's intense rains, said city-based weather bloggers
The image released by India Meteorological Department shows the path of the depression that was lying about 440 km from Chennai coast at 11.30 pm on Tuesday
CHENNAI: After bracing itself for the extremely heavy rainfall that was expected to hit the city and neighbourhood on Wednesday, only to be shocked by the intensity of the shower on Tuesday, Chennai may receive a much-needed breather today, said popular independent weather bloggers.
According to K Srikanth, who runs the Chennai Rains social media handle, the city is less likely to receive high intensity rains which pounded it on Tuesday.
Echoing him, Pradeep John, who is popularly known as Tamil Nadu Weatherman, said, "There might be some pull effect rains from depression once it moves in land on (October) 18-20, in Chennai those will be normal manageable rains (sic)."
What prompted them to update the forecast is the movement of the depression over the Bay of Bengal.
In its update based on observation at 11.30 pm, the India Meteorological Department said the depression over southwest Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at 440 km away from the Chennai coast.
"It is likely to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu - south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Nellore, close to Chennai, during the early morning of October 17," said the IMD update.
Srikanth said as the depression moves further north, rains would reduce over coastal Tamil Nadu. "While Chennai should remain cautious, a repeat of yesterday's intense rains is less likely," he said.
The most intense showers on Wednesday are likely between Chennai and Nellore, while Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu may continue to see moderate to heavy spells of rain at times throughout the day, he said.
Pradeep added, "The extreme rains from the main depression is not going to happen for us. Normal rains may happen... the convergence has shifted to south Andhra," and quipped that the vehicles parked on flyovers could be brought back home.
Even as the update came as a relief for the people and authorities, who have been battling the aftermath of the unexpectedly heavy rains on Tuesday, Srikanth cautioned that while the effect of this depression may come down, the northeast monsoon has only started.
The coastal parts of Tamil Nadu would continue to receive widespread rains, as fresh low-pressure area develops over the Arabian Sea in the next two-three days, he added.
