CHENNAI: Battered and bruised, Chennai will be put to a litmus test in the next 36 hours starting Wednesday night as the city once again falls in the firing line of a massive cloud convergence forming in south Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the low pressure area, which lies in southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal with the associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 5.8 km above mean sea level, was on track to impact south Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu by Thursday.
The regional meteorological centre has sounded a red alert from 8.30 am on Thursday to 8.30 am on Friday for Chennai, Kancheepuram and Ranipettai where heavy to very heavy with isolated extremely heavy rain is likely. An orange alert was issued for Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Chengalpattu, Tirupattur and Vellore.
As per the estimates, Chennai and several other weather stations in above districts may clock rainfall of 15 cm to 20 cm or above in a 24-hour window ending 8.30 am on Friday -- enough to cause extensive damage and flooding.
Weather models are also indicating formation of another new system next week. This monsoon for sure is going to break some records.
Chennai has surpassed its monthly average rainfall within the first week of November itself, with Nungambakkam observatory recording a total of 464 mm of rains from November 1-9, while Meenambakkam reported 369 mm of rains against the normal 374 mm.
The 215 mm of rainfall on November 7 is so far the second highest amount of rainfall recorded in the span of 24 hours in the last decade, with the highest being 246.5 mm received on November 16, 2015. The all-time record for 24 hours of rainfall stands at 452.4 mm recorded on November 25, 1976.
Chennai has been recording good rains ever since the beginning of the northeast monsoon. The state capital is witnessing excess rains by 65 percent, with 815.5 mm of rains against the normal of 495.6 mm recorded from October 1 to November 17. Tamil Nadu too has had excess rainfall of 54 per cent.
Not just Chennai, all neighbouring districts have been receiving record rains. Chengalpattu received excess rainfall of 65 percent, Kancheepuram 38 percent and Tiruvallur 51 percent.