Pre-monsoon showers have started to lash parts of South India, and the current spell may last until March 10, according to the US National Centres for Environmental Prediction.
The loosely organised spell in the form of hit-or-miss thunderstorms may unfold at random areas over South India, especially along the Western Ghats areas of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Excess showers in North, East
North-West India, Central India, East India and even parts of Maharashtra have received normal to excess showers during January and February. The pre-monsoon showers have begun with a bang over most of these areas as well. The South have been bereft of major rain events during January and February, but the first day of March has brought welcome showers to North Interior, South Interior and Coastal Karnataka. Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are in large deficit till now while neighbouring Kerala too is in deficit.
Showers signalled for South
But this may make a turn for the better from today (Monday) with available international numerical model forecasts indicating thunderstorms may extend from Central India into Maharashtra and further on to the coasts along Karnataka and Kerala. Heavier precipitation is indicated during the next 24 hours (until tomorrow, Tuesday) along a corridor in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu extending from Siddapura, Hosanagara, Sringeri, Devarshola, Vaniyambadi, Sulthan Bathery, Peravoor, Iritti, Nelliyalam, Udhagamandalam, and Coimbatore.
This corridor will narrow down in extent on Wednesday, but areas such Dharwad, Mangaluru, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Coimbatore and Alappuzha will continue to get showers. On Thursday, the area will further skittle down to Shivamogga, Chikmagalur, Hassan, Iritty, Mysuru, Coimbatore and Alappuzha. The South of Kerala is not seen as benefiting much from these showers on both these days.
Showers for easter parts of TN
From Thursday, a smaller parcel of rain is shown moving East over South India to sit over an area extending from Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh and down to Ambur, Kanchipuram, Thiruvannamalai, Thuraiyur and Tiruchirappalli. Coastal areas such as Chennai, Puducherry, and Cuddalore may have to wait until Saturday to get their due, as heavier rain to the North along the Andhra Pradesh coast filter in.
Precipitable water (depth of water in a column of the atmosphere, if all the water in that column were precipitated as rain) projections until March 10 (Tuesday next) supported showery climes at times for these regions, which may peter out during the period until March 20. From there onwards, dry and hot regime is indicated here for the next 10 days until March 30, and especially so for the southern parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.