Torrential rain at the beginning of Northeast Monsoon has helped Chennai garner much needed rain for October. The capital city of Tamil Nadu has received 251.5 mm of rain so far, as against the monthly normal rainfall of 286.4 mm.
Northeast Monsoon is a major period of rainfall over south India. Tamil Nadu gets about 50 percent of its annual rainfall during the northeast monsoon season. And Chennai has already received more than 80% of its monthly rainfall.
Chennai received the high rain of 115 mm on 18th, 75 mm on 19th and 24 mm on 21st. In just three days, the city received rainfall that has enabled the ‘Gateway to South India’ inch closer to its monthly rainfall.
With one week more to go in October, Chennai is expected to reach or surpass its mark of normal rainfall.
Northeast Monsoon
The period from October to December is referred as Northeast Monsoon season over peninsular India. The northeast monsoon mainly affects five regions in the southern peninsular- coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and south interior Karnataka, bringing spells of heavy rainfall in these regions.