It has been pouring in Chennai this (Tuesday) morning, as a weather-dictating low-pressure area parked over the Comorin and adjoining North Sri Lanka coast continued to make merry, even as the North-East monsoon entered the second month.
The weather blogging community in Tamil Nadu took to Twitter to report heavy spells as they unfolded in several parts of the State and the capital city. @ChennaiRains tweeted that the southern and south-western suburbs have been receiving ‘fairly good spells of rains, while city areas are expected to get (rains) in a while with good rain bands seen off the coast earlier in the morning.
ECMWF model validates
A forecast outlook map from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and featured by
@jhrishi2 tweeted about ‘massive rains’ over parts of Tamil Nadu (and not just in Chennai) as the ‘low-pressure area continues to pump in moisture’ from the South-West Bay of Bengal. This Twitter handle also reported rainfall amounts from around to substantiate the developments on Tuesday morning.
Heavy rainfall amounts
Some of the rainfall amounts (in cm) tagged along the tweet are during the 24 hours ending in the morning and are as follows: Marakkanam-20.1 cm; Nannilam-12.3; Cuddalore-11.2; Kollidam-9.8; Thiruthuraipoondi-8.6; Ramanathapuram-7.4; Paramakudi-7.1 and Nagapattinam-6.5.
The bearing and location of the low-pressure area (Comorin and adjoining North Lanka coast) are just right to bring the monsoon easterlies from the East and South-East Bay and hit the entire Tamil Nadu coast with moisture and trigger rainfall all across. As the system moves North-West over the Arabian Sea, parts of the North Peninsula may also benefit.
The IMD has forecast very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Kerala and Mahe on Tuesday and Wednesday. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, Mahe and South Interior Karnataka during the next three to four days and over Coastal Karnataka on Wednesday and Thursday.
Rainfall for Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep may expect to get isolated heavy rain on Tuesday and Wednesday, while rain-deficit Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalaseema and Telangana are likely to witness rains on Tuesday and North Interior Karnataka on Friday.
Scattered rainfall with isolated thunderstorms and lightning may occur over south Konkan, Goa and South Madhya Maharashtra from Tuesday to Friday, as the ‘low’ moves North-West in the Arabian Sea and over Marathawada from Wednesday to Friday. Isolated heavy rainfall also likely over Konkan and Goa on Thursday and Friday.