Heavy rains in Tamil Nadu will continue for next 2-3 days, Northeast Monsoon sustains past expected date of withdrawal: IMD

After heavy rains lashed Tamil Nadu on Monday, leading to waterlogging and traffic snarls in Chennai and one death in Thanvajur, IMD on Tuesday said that the heavy downpour is likely to continue for the next two to three days.

Speaking to Firstpost, S Balachandran, Director of the Area Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD Chennai, said, “Coastal areas and central regions of Tamil Nadu will experience heavy rainfall with varying intensities in the next 24 hours. However, the western parts of the state like Coimbatore, the Nilgiris and Valaparai will experience light rainfall, which will start from Tuesday evening.”

Balachandran said that “very to very heavy” rainfall is expected to be recorded in south coastal regions like Kanyakumari. “In the last 24 hours, 21 places in Tamil Nadu experienced heavy rainfall, while 16 experienced very heavy rainfall,” he said. [caption id=“attachment_2544640” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of floods in Chennai. Firstpost/Tarique Anwar[/caption] Several schools in Chennai closed ahead of schedule on Monday as the city experienced heavy showers. Collectors had asked all schools and colleges in Chennai and Kancheepuram to remain shut on Tuesday as well. Parts of Chennai had been waterlogged, causing traffic snarls at major roads including Anna Salai, EVR Periyar Salai, Santhome high road and LB Road Adyar. “Chennai received rainfall in different intensities across the city, ranging from 13 cm to 17 cm,” Balachandran said. In 2016, the Northeast Monsoon had brought in a deficient rain in Chennai, but this year the IMD has predicted normal rain. Chennai, on average, receives around 37 cm of rainfall over 11-odd days during November. “In October, the overall rainfall met our predictions. The Northeast Monsoon causes comes around this time of the year, every year,” Balachandran said. When the Northeast Monsoon season began on 27 October, Chennai received light rains for the first two days. In the last 24 hours, the rain has intensified, accompanied by thunderstorms. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to remain around 32 degrees Celsius and 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

#Thunderstorms moving in from East. Next round of #Chennairains after a brief respite. South areas could see heavier spells going by radar pic.twitter.com/umRJEaZ0eN

— Chennai Rains (COMK) (@ChennaiRains) October 31, 2017

“The Northeast Monsoon season began on 27 October, but its activity was only recorded on Monday. The season ends on 31 October, but given this year’s rainfall, the season will extend by another two to three days,” Balachandran said. He attributed the heavy rainfall to the upper air cyclonic circulation over southwest Bay of Bengal. “Upper air circulation near Gulf of Mannar and Sri Lanka, near the Bay of Bengal, is responsible for the current weather system. This system is helping with moisture influx into Tamil Nadu, which is causing the rains,” Balachandran explained. Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner D Karthikeyan said the civic body was fully geared to tackle the situation. He said the corporation had over 450 water pumps which would be used in low-lying areas to bale out water in the event of water logging. With inputs from PTI