During the last 24 hours, rain activities have increased over the South Peninsula. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Rayalaseema recorded moderate to heavy rain and shower activities at many places. Many rainfall records are broken in these South Peninsula states. Mangaluru received 56.7 rain which is highest 24 hours as well as monthly rain in January. 24-hour rainfall record for Mangaluru is 23mm on January 21st in 1994. Monthly average rainfall for Bengaluru for the month of January is just 1.2 mm. Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu also smashed all-time record with 113 mm 24 hours rain. All-time 24 hours record for Coimbatore is 33.4 on Jan 3 in 1985, and monthly record for Coimbatore of 64mm in 1985. The monthly average rainfall for Coimbatore is just 7.5mm. On the other hand, Chitradurga missed the 24-hour record by a whisker. The 24-hour record for Chitradurga is 104.1mm recorded on Jan 21 in 1918. Monthly rainfall record for Chitradurga is 107.8 recorded in January 1918.
Karipur Airport in Kerala recorded 117 mm, Punalur 68mm, Parangipattai 67mm, Puducherry 66mm, Minambakkam 47mm, Cuddapah 44mm, and Thrissur 43mm rain during the last 24 hours. A number of weather parameters are responsible for these heavy showers over the south Peninsula. Easterly wave is active, a trough is extending from Sri Lanka to the south coast of Andhra Pradesh across Tamil Nadu, another trough is extending from a cyclonic circulation over the south Central Arabian Sea to Madhya Maharashtra across Karnataka coast. Humid winds from the Arabian Sea as well as from the Bay of Bengal are feeding moisture over South Peninsula.
Rain activities are expected to continue today over many parts of the South Peninsula. During the next 24 hours, south Tamil Nadu, Kerala and many parts of Karnataka will receive moderate to heavy rains with one or two very heavy spells. Rains over north interior Karnataka will be light. By 9th of January, rain activities will start receding from Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh but South Tamil Nadu, as well as parts of Kerala, may continue to get intense weather activities until January 11.
Rain activities during the month of January, February and March are of least for southern States. In fact, the monthly average rainfall for most of the districts in Karnataka is in single digit. These seasonal rains will be beneficial for Karnataka, Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu, as it will help in recharging groundwater levels.