CHENNAI: The city experienced a respite from scorching weather on Tuesday. However, despite overcast weather conditions, the daytime remained sultry.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), meanwhile, said that Monday's deep depression over northeast Bay of Bengal off Bangladesh coast intensified into a deep depression and lay centered over northeast Bay of Bengal off Bangladesh coast at 8.30 am, Tuesday.
As a result, IMD predicted ) an increase in rainfall activity over northwest India from August 3 to 6 and an increase in rainfall activity along the Konkan coast and adjoining Central Maharashtra during the next three days and a reduction in rainfall activity would continue over peninsular India during the next five days.
The private weather forecaster Skymet predicted heavy to very heavy rains over Gangetic West Bengal, North Odisha, North Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in a staggered manner between August 1 to 5. Eastern states of the country, namely West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar have accumulated large deficits during the first half of the season. This wet spell will lash all three states with heavy showers in their pockets and reduce the seasonal shortfall adequately, Skymet Weather added.
Meanwhile, The Indian Express, citing IMD reported that the rainfall in August and September was still likely to be in the normal range, between 94 and 106 per cent of long period average, but “on the negative side of the normal." In other words, the rainfall in the second half of the monsoon season is likely to be less than 100 per cent. July unexpectedly produced 13 per cent above normal rainfall, with many parts of the country receiving good rainfall.