Rain returns to Chennai, in moderation

RMC forecasts heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in Chennai, Chengalpattu & Kancheepuram districts on Monday.

After day-long rains over Chennai and surrounding districts on Sunday, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) here has forecast heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over Chennai, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram districts for Monday.

P. Senthamarai Kannan, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, RMC, Chennai, said convergence of southeast winds with those from the northeast and a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal is bringing in the rains over the city.

“The rains will not be torrential as it was during the Cyclone Michaung but it will rain throughout the night. It would be light to moderate. Cumulatively the quantum of rain is likely to be heavy or very heavy,” he explained.

Meanwhile, weather blogger Pradeep John, too has said that very heavy rains would be possible over Chennai and surrounding districts till Monday evening. “In December, we got 400 - 450 mm rainfall in a span of 24 hrs. This won’t be so heavy like how it was during Cyclone Michaung. But still 100 - 200 mm rainfall will cause localised water stagnation. Hence, those in low-lying areas, keep a close watch.”

“Monsoon spilling over into January has become common in the past four years and this year too we expected this. Unlike low pressure or cyclone-based rains these rains are a bit different,” he added.  

According to data compiled by Chennai Corporation, 200 wards received moderate rainfall ranging from 15.6 mm to 64.4 mm on Sunday. The average rainfall for the city on Sunday was 6.53 mm. Chennai is expected to receive moderate rainfall on Monday, civic officials said. The civic body has kept 340 pumps ready, 15,129 workers on alert and screened 3,007 residents at health camps on Sunday.

The highest rainfall in the city was received in Kathivakkam, with 55.5 mm rainfall recorded between 8.30 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday. Meenambakkam received 40.4 mm rainfall, Tondiarpet 32.4 mm, Teynampet 29.4 mm, Ice House 29.1 mm, Tiruvottiyur 26.1 mm, Kodambakkam 24.6 mm, Uthandi 23.9 mm and Anna Nagar 22.5 mm on Sunday.