Rain may return to Chennai, suburbs

CHENNAI: Days after the extended northeast monsoon season ended, rain may return to Chennai and the suburbs. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light rainfall in the city and surrounding areas on Saturday.

Meteorologists said the city has chances of rain activity for two days before a dry spell begins. There may also be rainfall over south Tamil Nadu, according to private forecasters.

Experts said the rainfall would be due to a trough, or a long area of low atmospheric pressure, in the easterlies over the southwest Bay of Bengal, extending up to 0.9 km above mean sea level.

“There is a chance for rainfall for the next two days as there is some moisture in the air. Rain may happen mostly in the night hours. After that, there is no rain activity for 10 to 15 days,” said N Senthamarai Kannan, director, Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, IMD.

On Saturday, the city and the suburbs may experience light rain over some areas. There may also be mist or haze during the morning hours. Temperatures may reach a maximum of 32°C and a minimum of 24°C.

Pockets of north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal may also experience mist or haze during the morning hours.

“The trough is extending up to south interior Tamil Nadu. Much of the rain activity may happen in south Tamil Nadu, like Pamban, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, with light spells over Madurai, Coimbatore, and Nilgiris, and over parts of north Tamil Nadu like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Vellore, as well as Puducherry. The rain chances may last two or three days,” said Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist, Skymet Weather.

The extended northeast monsoon left 4 cm of rainfall in the city in January, which is 72% above normal. The city records an average of 2 cm of rainfall in January.