Respite for city from heavy downpour

CHENNAI: Saturday brought in the much needed respite for Chennaiites from heavy downpour. Nungambakkam weather station recorded just 7 mm rain compared to the copious showers recorded in the few days prior to Saturday.

S Balachandran, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said the low pressure area over Southwest Bay of Bengal off Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu coast, now lies as a trough of low pressure at mean sea level over Southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West-central Bay of Bengal off TN- South Andhra Pradesh coast.
“Heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places is likely to occur over coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. However, there will be no major rain activity over Chennai for the next 24 hours except for moderate showers,” he said.

He said that so far Chennai had received the highest rainfall in the State during the north-east monsoon. The city received 617.5 mm as against the normal rainfall of 320.5 mm, which was 93 per cent above normal.

Weather blogger Pradeep John said though the system has reduced its intensity from a low pressure area to a trough of low, it would still bring heavy downpour. The interior parts of the State received very good rain on Saturday. “Vellore and Tiruvannamalai have got the first spell of rain after the monsoon set in.

Interior parts of Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram have also got good rain. It is continuous downpour in Nagapattinam to Puducherry belt. Veeranam lake may be filled-up soon. For Chennai, the rainfall activity would continue till November 7,” he said.