During the 24-hour ending on Sunday, rainfall occurred at many places over coastal Karnataka; at a few places over Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Mahe and the Lakshadweep and at isolated places over interior Karnataka and Rayalaseema as part of the ongoing extended rainy season beyond December.
In Tamil Nadu, among the main stations receiving moderate to heavy rain (in cm) are: Mimisal and Tiruvadanai-7 each; RS Mangalam and Manamelkudi-6 each; Satankulam and Tondi-5 each; Vattanam, Manimutharu, and Coimatore Airport Peelamedu-4 each; Vedaranyam, Kovilpatti, Ambasamudram, Papanasam, Thanjai Papanasam, Adiramapatnam, Palayamkottai and Arantangi-3 each.
Rain belt heading South
Light rainfall occurred over Karaikal area while it was very light rain over Puducherry, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. As is clear in the rainfall spread depicted above, the rain belt is heading South with the delta districts and the Ghat areas likely benefiting over the next couple of days, an update from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) said.
The first 10 days of the New Year (January) has delivered an unprecedented surplus of 240 per cent for the country as a whole with only East and North-East India finding itself in deficit. Individual surpluses are in four-figures with Goa in Central India leading with a run-away surplus of 5,115 per cent. N Lakshmanan, a senior tea planter and Director of Tamil Nadu-based Golden Hills Estate, told BusinessLine the last time the State had enjoyed this type of weather was way back in 1985-86.
Unprecedented January surplus
Meanwhile, the other top performers during a benevolent January so far are Karnataka (3,544 per cent); Kerala (3,180 per cent) and Lakshadweep (1,060 per cent, followed in three-figure marks by Tamil Nadu (819 per cent); Puducherry (591 per cent); and Andhra Pradesh (393 per cent). Telangana alone ended up in a deficit at -35 per cent. North-West India too has had a good run thanks to productive western disturbances.
The extended rain session is being attributed to prevailing La Nina conditions which may continue through March (95 per cent) and into March-May (65 per cent), the US Climate Prediction Centre said. Most models suggest La Nina would peak either this month or next (February) at moderate to strong levels with a likely return to ‘neutral’ conditions during April to June (50 per cent chance).
Monthly outlook for January
An IMD outlook for the month of January and transitioning into February has already said that the South Peninsula might witness normal to above normal rainfall. In a similar vein, the national forecaster in the neighbouring island nation of Sri Lanka also sees above normal rainfall there during these three months.
The Sri Lanka Meteorological Department has forecast very heavy showers of up to 15 cm over the North, East, North-Central and Central Provinces today (Monday) and up to 10 cm at some other places.
Tamil Nadu too may see heavy to very heavy rains along the Ghat areas over the South-West and West with the entire stretch from Nagercoil to Valparai looking vulnerable, the ECMWF said.
Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, the coastal stretch in the Central-South and adjoining interior across Kaveripattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Dindigul, Karaikudi, Madura, Toothukudi and Palayamkottai extending into the hilly areas bordering Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala may see enhanced rainfall.