CHENNAI: After a few grey and gloomy days, a break in the northeast monsoon will allow Tamil Nadu to enter a dry spell. This comes as a relief to Chennai residents, who faced traffic snarls on Monday and even waterlogging in some parts after the region received about 2 to 4 cm of rain from 8.30 am.
The current rainfall activity, influenced by the low-pressure area leftover by cyclonic storm Mandous will fade away by Wednesday. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, a fresh cyclonic circulation is likely to emerge in South Andaman Sea on Tuesday. While this weather system might intensify into a low-pressure area, it is unlikely to impact TN.
On Monday, the Chennai region received widespread rains, with areas like Pallikaranai, Taramani, MRC Nagar, Poonamallee, Kattapakkam and Meenambakkam receiving heavy showers. The district administrations of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu declared a holiday post-noon for schools and colleges, forcing parents to fetch their children and resulting in traffic jams in several parts of the city.
Considering some of the areas are waterlogged and the meteorological department has forecast more rains on Tuesday morning, the district administrations of Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur have declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Tuesday as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, P Senthamarai Kannan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said the remnant weather system will merge into Arabian Sea and its impact will fade from the Indian mainland by Wednesday.
‘New cyclonic circulation to have little impact’
“Till Tuesday morning, there is a possibility of heavy rain over Chennai, Tiruvallur, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Tirupattur, Vellore, Ranipet, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Kallakurichi, Tiruchy, Namakkal, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Erode and Mayiladuthurai districts.
From Wednesday, we will have normal weather. Only sporadic light-to-moderate rainfall is forecast,” said P Senthamarai Kannan, adding dry weather is expected for at least five to six days from Wednesday. Skymet chief meteorologist Mahesh Palawat said the fresh cyclonic circulation will have little or no impact on TN.
Monsoon performance
(October 1 to December 12)
Tamil Nadu
Actual rainfall received-400.2 mm
Normal - 400.3 Deviation - 0%
Holiday in three districts
The district administrations of Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur have declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Tuesday as a precautionary measure. On Monday, districts declared a holiday post-noon due to rain
Surplus water released near city
As of 5 pm, the combined storage in six Chennai reservoirs was 10.874 tmcft. As much as 7,500 cusecs of surplus water was discharged from Poondi & 3,000 cusecs from Chembarambakkam