CHENNAI: With the northeast monsoon getting vigorous over Tamil Nadu, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert over ghat regions. Meanwhile, the back-to-back low pressure areas forming in the Bay of Bengal ahead of Deepavali may choke Chennaiites with a spike in pollution levels.
The met department on Monday declared the formation of northeast monsoon’s first low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal off the north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast during next 48 hours. The weather models are picking up the formation of another two low pressure areas around Deepavali which falls on October 27.
In all likelihood, it will be a wet Deepavali or an overcast condition may prevail on the festival day, which would be a perfect recipe to trigger smog-like conditions. Sunlight, sea breeze and clear skies are key to disbursing pollutants. In 2017, under similar conditions, the city choked with the thick blanket of smog as pollution levels jumped eight times above permissible limits and several morning flights were cancelled.
Comparatively, last year, pollution levels on Deepavali day were lowest ever. The permissible limit for PM10 was 100 µg/m3. Triplicane recorded 70 µg/m3, Besant Nagar 75 µg/m3, Nungambakkam 48 µg/m3 , Sowcarpet 114 µg/m3 and T Nagar 97 µg/m3. Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) officials and experts attributed it to clear and dry weather conditions.
Weather blogger Pradeep John said fingers are crossed as of now. The low pressure area forming in next 48 hours is likely to be pushed away from Tamil Nadu coast by a western trough. “However, models are forecasting another low pressure area forming before Deepavali, but there is no consensus as of now.”
TNPCB chairman AV Venkatachalam told Express that an awareness campaign was being undertaken and request the public to comply with the government timing regulation on the busting of crackers.
