Click to check the live traffic and water logging due to heavy rain in Chennai:
Updated on December 9, 2015: Chennai rains have reduced significantly, and only light rain has been affecting the capital city of Tamil Nadu for the past few days. While Northeast Monsoon will remain active over coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Chennai rains will not be as intense.
As per Skymet Meteorology Division in India, light to moderate rain is expected over Chennai during the next 24 hours. Thereafter, a further reduction is expected in Chennai rains. Major relief can be expected after two to three days.
Parts of Coastal and South Tamil Nadu will continue to receive moderate rainfall. Heavy rainfall may occur over isolated areas.
Updated on December 8, 2015: Since the beginning of this week, Chennai rains took a backseat but Tamil Nadu rains continued with intensity varying between light to moderate. The Northeast Monsoon is going to remain active over Tamil Nadu during this week and will give moderate rain with isolated heavy showers over southern parts of coastal Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam for next 24-48 hours.
The Chennai rains this week, however, will not be as intense as they were last week.
Updated on December 7, 2015: Even as residents of Chennai struggle hard to bring back their lives to normalcy post heavy rains in Chennai, light to moderate rain is likely to hinder their rescue and rehabilitation work this week. Light rain is likely to continue for another 24-48 hours and moderate rain is expected to make a comeback in the rain-ravaged city.
Rains in Tamil Nadu are also likely to remain moderate over the southern parts for next 24-36 hours.
Updated on December 6, 2015: The series of torrential rainfall has finally come to an end over Chennai. However, light to moderate rain continues over the state capital. During the last 24 hours, Chennai recorded 21 mm of rainfall.
While Cuddalore will continue to receive moderate showers during the next 24 hours, Puducherry rains are likely to get less intense.
There will be relief from heavy rainfall over Chennai as there is no another system developing in the Bay of Bengal. However, the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu including Cuddalore, Karaikal, Pamban, Nagapattinam, and Ramanathapuram will receive moderate showers for another 24 to 48 hours.
Updated on December 5, 2015: Chennai recorded on and off light rain on Friday, with moderate showers of short duration during evening hours. In span of last 24 hours from 8:30 am on Friday, Chennai received 35 mm of rain.
Telecommunication and train services have been partially restored in the capital city. While, water levels have also receded further with several roads becoming fairly motorable but many areas are still facing water logging.
According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, light rain with few good showers would continue over the city for another 48 hours. However, these showers were not on account of the low pressure area in Southwest Bay of Bengal that had earlier given extremely heavy rain over Chennai. The system has now shifted southwards and will be affecting parts of South Coastal Tamil Nadu.
As per Skymet, active Northeast Monsoon conditions along with moderate easterly winds blowing over the region will continue to give scattered rainfall activity over the city for next 48 hours. We can expect major relief December 08 onwards when there will be significant decrease in rainfall.
Updated on December 4, 2015: People of Chennai got much needed respite from the heavy rains over the flood ravaged city on Thursday. In span of 24 hours from 8:30 am on Thursday, city received 13 mm of rain.
According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, Chennai received light to very light rain during last 24 hours. And with low pressure area in southwest Bay of Bengal moving southwards off the South Coastal Tamil Nadu, Chennai and surrounding areas will not receive any significant rain during next 24 hours.
Rains will again make a comeback over the city by late night of December 05 and will continue till December 07. However, intensity of rain during this period will be light with few moderate showers. As per Skymet, rains will not be as intense as they were earlier but it may hamper ongoing rescue operations.
Though any major relief is only expected after December 08 but worse for Chennai is almost over.
Updated on December 3, 2015: Life in Chennai remained halted, as rains continued over the city on Wednesday as well. However, intensity of rain was not as heavy as on Tuesday but continuous showers slowed down the rescue operations.
According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, on and off light rain with one or two moderate showers will continue over Chennai till next 24 hours. Thereafter, scattered moderate showers with isolated heavy rains of short spells are likely till December 06.
Situation in Chennai is crucial as water levels of the several lakes and rivers have reached alarming levels. Rescue operations have been intensified as more rains are in offing. Thousands of people were rescued on Wednesday from the flooded areas, while thousand are still stranded.
Updated on December 2, 2015: Heavy to extremely heavy rains in Chennai have thrown life out of gear, forcing thousands of people to remain indoors. While, hundreds are stranded without food and electricity. Chennai has recorded 374 mm of rainfall in a span of 24 hours, surpassing city’s normal rainfall for December that stands at 191 mm. It has also broken century-old 24 hour rainfall record.
Several trains and flights have been cancelled with no further notice on account of inclement weather conditions. According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, torrential rains will continue to lash Chennai for another 24 hours.
Updated on December 1, 2015: Heavy rain has started to affect weather in Chennai and Chennai rains will continue to be heavy in intensity till next 48 hours. Heavy rain has continued over Chennai airport since last three hours which has also reduced the visibility to less than 1 km. Due to heavy rain, schools and colleges are likely to remain shut for next few days.
Updated on November 30, 2015: Another rainy spell has started to affect weather in Tamil Nadu and weather in Chennai. After giving widespread, isolated heavy rain over coastal parts of Tamil Nadu, the rainy spell is likely to give heavy to very heavy rain over Chennai and adjoining cities in Tamil Nadu during next 24-48 hours. Light rain is likely to commence on Wednesday and is expected to continue till Friday.
Updated on November 28, 2015: The Northeast Monsoon that brings bulk of rain in Tamil Nadu is likely to revive over the state in next 24-48 hours. Bountiful rains are in forecast for Chennai, Tamil Nadu which may again bring the flood threat over the state.
Peninsular India observes very good rain during the Northeast Monsoon season, particularly Tamil Nadu. In fact the state being a rain shadow area, receives more rains during the Northeast Monsoon season as compared to the Southwest Monsoon season.
According to the data available with Skymet Meteorology Division in India, the coastal areas of the state receive 60% of their annual rainfall during the Northeast Monsoon period, while the interiors observe 50% of their annual rainfall. During the four-month long period (June to September) of Southwest Monsoon, Tamil Nadu receives only 317 mm of rain, while the Northeast Monsoon season from October to December gives a good 438 mm of rain in the state.
Rainfall during the Northeast Monsoon depends on atmospheric systems. Also the El Nino plays an important role in enhancing rainfall activity during this period. While its impact on the Southwest Monsoon is adverse. This time around Northeast Monsoon is expected to end with 111% rainfall of the LPA, with a probability of 88%.
Characteristic of NE Monsoon Rains
During the Northeast Monsoon season, weather systems like low pressure areas and cyclonic circulations move in lower latitudes of Bay of Bengal and reach the state across southwest Bay.
Unlike the Southwest Monsoon, where the weather systems are spread well, the Northeast Monsoon observes a sequence of weather systems. These weather systems have a characteristic of giving rain for three to four days and thereafter taking a break for a couple of days.
Rainfall in Tamil Nadu in November
Meanwhile, the state with 485 mm of rain so far has already exceeded the seasonal average of 438 mm. In November alone the state has received 352 mm of rain, which is more than the monthly average of 170 mm.
The state capital Chennai has also witnessed some very heavy rains this time. In fact, the city has received 1186 mm of rain in the month of November so far, which is three times the monthly average of 407 mm. On five occasions in November Chennai recorded three digit 24 hour rainfall. The highest being 265 mm between November 15 and 16.
Such heavy rains are not uncommon during this season. However, these spells are not sudden and can be forecast.
And with one more month of active Northeast Monsoon left, the rainfall figures in the state are expected to really shoot up. Also the cyclones which form in the Bay of Bengal have a tendency to move towards Tamil Nadu during December and give heavy to very heavy rain, particularly along the coast.
Another Heavy Spell Approaching
Meanwhile, from November 29 another spell of heavy rain is going to hit the state, particularly southern parts of Tamil Nadu. A low pressure area supported by a cyclonic circulation in the south-west Bay of Bengal will give this rain. According to meteorologists at Skymet, this system will move very slowly and stay in the region for some time. The period of intense rain would be between December 1 and December 3.
Image Credit: desispy.com
