CHENNAI: The district collectors in Chennai, Tiruvallur Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram districts have declared a holiday for schools today due to incessant rains in the region.
Some parts of the state have also been receiving rainfall since Sunday morning, while overnight rains continued to batter Chennai and its neighbouring districts on Monday.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the state is set to receive rainfall for the next five days. While it is to be widespread in the first two days, isolated parts of the state will receive rain for the next three days. Thunderstorms are on the cards for Chennai for the next two days.
The rainfall is due to the interaction of upper air cyclonic circulation with westerlies in the South West Bay of Bengal, according to IMD officials. The rain has brought respite to the sweltering heat of the Summer, especially in Chennai, which witnessed one of its hottest Junes ever this month.
In its bulletin tweeted at 10.30 am, the Regional Meteorological Centre said Chennai Airport (16 cm) and Taramani (14 cm) received the highest rainfall in the last 24 hours. Chembarambakkam in the neighbouring Tiruvallur district received 13 cm.
Speaking to TNIE, P. Senthamarai Kannan, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai, said that the temperature was especially high in the last few days since the NorthEast movement of the cyclone had caused changes in the wind pattern. With the cyclone having passed, wind flow is expected to come back to normalcy.
"From now on, there is no chance of widespread above-normal temperatures as the wind flow is normal and rainfall activity has started. Isolated places like Karur and Palayamkottai may experience just above normal temperatures," Senthamarai Kannan said.
From Sunday morning to 5:30 am on Monday, the Meenambakkam observatory recorded 137.6 mm of rainfall whereas Nungambakkam recorded 67.4 mm, as far as Chennai is concerned.
As for the rest of the state, the observatory in Cuddalore recorded 28 mm of rain whereas Karaikal recorded 23 mm, Puducherry recorded 18 mm, Valparai recorded 18 mm and Kodaikanal recorded 7 mm.
According to weather blogger Pradeep John, this is a rare scenario in June in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur regions. In the last 200 years, this is only the third year after 1991 and 1996 where the region recorded around 150 mm of rainfall.
Meanwhile, the water level in the various reservoirs meeting Chennai's drinking water requirements stood at satisfactory levels, going by official figures.
The water level at Kannankottai-Thervoykandigai was 34.31 ft as against its full capacity of 36.31 ft.
The level at Poondi was 27.66 ft as against the full capacity of 35 ft, according to a tweet uploaded on the official handle of Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB).
The lakes at Chembarambakkam, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Veeranam (Cuddalore dt) also had good levels.
(With additional inputs from PTI)