COIMBATORE: Coimbatore district received heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning in the early hours of Tuesday.
While the regional meteorological centre’s rain gauge in Peelamedu recorded 15.4 mm of rainfall, other parts of the district, including Periyanaickenpalayam and Mettupalayam, recorded 17 mm and 24 mm of rain, respectively.
TNAU in the city’s west zone recorded 34.8 mm of rainfall.
The showers and cloudy skies led to the maximum temperatures dropping to as low as 28 degrees Celsius at 11am. Light showers are expected to continue for the next three to four days.
Parts of Coimbatore city faced power cut after rain.
A vagai tree was struck by lightning leading to it catching fire. Fire and rescue department had to be called in to put it out.
Indian Meteorological Department deputy director S Balachandran said it was the usual convective rainfall, also called summer rain. “There is also a trough that is extending from central India to interior Karnataka. But it is the evaporation that is providing the moisture for the trough, resulting in rain,” he said.
Weather experts say the trough should continue for the next two to three days. “Coimbatore may receive thunder and rain on at least two days between Tuesday and Saturday this week,” said chief meteorologist at Skymet weather services, Mahesh Palawat. “However, people have to wait till May 1, when summer rain will intensify for the weather to change noticeably,” said weather blogger, Santhosh Krishnan, who calls himself Coimbatore weatherman.