CHENNAI: After rain played spoilsport during India’s two warm-up games in Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram, there is good news for the cricket fans. Meteorologists have said that there is very little to no chance of rain on October 8, when India starts its World Cup campaign against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here.
P Senthamarai Kannan from the regional meteorological centre said the city would experience thunderstorm activity giving light to moderate rainfall, especially during the late evening hours, till October 6. However, the quantum of rainfall would substantially decrease thereafter.“As per the weather models, the chances of rainfall on October 7-8 are very slim,” Kannan told TNIE.
Chennai has been receiving sharp spells for the past few weeks during late evening and night hours, but that trend would reverse with the southwest monsoon in retreating mode. The weather experts say the next active rainfall spell would only come after the onset of the northeast monsoon, which is likely during the month’s end or the first week of November.
Weather blogger K Srikanth said, “The match day looks good. There would be no rain interruptions. Even if there is sporadic rainfall, it would be west of Chennai. The coastal areas may not see rain.”
Chennai has been witnessing hot and humid conditions during the day with a maximum temperature of 36.5 degrees Celsius, which is 3 degrees above normal. In the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Wednesday, Mylaudy in Kanniyakumari district received the highest rainfall of 11 cm, while a few areas in Tiruvallur district received 2 cm of rainfall.