CHENNAI: The mid-point of the Northeast monsoon has been reached and there is a chill in the air, but there still is no sign of rain. With a dismal October already behind — the entire month yielded just 22.4 mm — if the dry spell continues this week, weather observers say Chennai might record the poorest monsoon in several decades. So far, the city has received only 72 mm rain as against the normal 626 mm.
Independent weather observers claim that if there is no rain over the next few days, things could worsen for the city, which is heavily dependent on a good Northeast monsoon for its water requirement through summer.
Meteorological department officials agree that the monsoon has been abysmal this year, but are confident that there will be rainfall in December, which will bridge the present deficit. “There is possibility of rain during the first two weeks of December, especially for the northern districts, including Chennai,” an official noted.