CHENNAI: The Meenambakkam weather station this year has recorded the highest-ever rainfall for the month of January. As of Thursday morning, the station registered 228.3mm rain – an all-time record for the month -- breaking the previous highest rainfall record of 170mm received in January 1986.
Going by the forecast, there may be more rain in the city and suburbs in the next 48 hours.
In the past three days, Meenambakkam station recorded 218.2mm rain which also included126.2mm rainfall recorded between 8.30am on Tuesday and 8.30am on Wednesday. The record rainfall registered in the station is about 221.1mm excess so far this month.
The all-time January rain record for the Nungambakkam weather station is the 244.1mm recorded in January 1915.
So far this month, Chennai subdivision has recorded 189.2mm of rain against a normal of 5.8mm.
For the next 48 hours, IMD has forecast moderate rain in some areas of the city and its neighbourhoods with a sky condition to be generally cloudy. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 29 o C and 24 o C.
N Puviarasan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, RMC Chennai, said rainfall in the city and several parts of the state including the delta region and southern coastal districts in the next two to four days will be due to an upper air circulation.
Weather blogger Pradeep John said there may be a break in the rainfall in the city in the beginning of next week and by mid-next week other parts of the state may record a dry spell.