Intermittent spells of good rain in parts of Tamil Nadu, since Tuesday, have come right in time to bring down the mercury levels with hopes of replenishing groundwater levels in the state. According to the latest bulletin from the Regional Meteorological Centre, heavy to very heavy rain is expected in places like Theni, Dindigul, Virudhunagar and Tenkasi districts on July 29. Heavy rainfall is expected in Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Madurai and Sivagangai districts. In the west Tamil Nadu districts like Theni, Dindigul, Coimbatore and Nilgiris, heavy rainfall will continue to occur until the end of this month. Thunderstorms with lightning will likely continue in parts of the state until July 31.
(1/n)#WeatherAlert for #TamilNadu: Rain and thundershower with gusty winds will occur over Ariyalur, #Chennai, #Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode, Kancheepuram, #Kanyakumari, Karur, Krishnagiri, #Madurai, Nagapattinam, Namakkal districts during next 12-18 hours. pic.twitter.com/YeeO40v0Q7
— SkymetWeather (@SkymetWeather) July 29, 2020
Chennai might continue to see light rains for the next 48 hours. However, just a few hours of rain on Tuesday caused inundation in parts like Valasaravakkam, KK Nagar, Chromepet, neighbourhoods in the city. Many Twitter users have shared videos and photos of flooded roads.
Summa therikka vittuduchu with many stations crossing 50 mm in city like Valasarawakkam, KK Nagar, etc in less than an hour. Kolapakkam ARG behind Airport has got 63 mm in an hour. pic.twitter.com/BLNfbWsp0W
— TamilNadu Weatherman (@praddy06) July 28, 2020
#chennairains @ Chrompet one day rain Chennai.... pic.twitter.com/9moGiuOdwN
— Hari Vishal (@HariVis12338720) July 29, 2020
Well-known weather blogger Pradeep John remarked that these rains were a rare occurrence in Tamil Nadu, especially in this time of the year. The last time the Upper Air Cyclonic Circulation (UAC) brought rains to Tamil Nadu in the end of July end was in 2007. “And Meena (Meenambakkam) is going to break a historic 200 (mm) event rainfall for July. We might never see a month like this again for centuries to come,” he wrote.
According to the information on his latest blog, Chennai’s Meenambakkam recorded 266 mm rainfall in July in 1954. This year, as of 5.30 am July 29, Meenambakkam station has recorded 291 mm rainfall.
On Wednesday, high waves in the range of 2.2 to 3.2 meters have been forecasted along the coast of Southern Tamil Nadu from Colachel to Dhanushkodi.
As of Wednesday morning, data collected over 24 hours shows Cheyyur in Chengalpattu, Talaignayar in Nagapattinam and Thirupoondi in Nagapattinam have recorded 10 cms rainfall each. Followed by Thamaraipakkam in Tiruvallur and Kolapakkam ARG (Auto Rain Gauge) in Kancheepuram with nine cms each; Tambaram Taluk Office in Chengalpattu, Attur in Salem, and Devala in Nilgiris with eight cms each. The ARG at Anna University in Chennai has recorded four cms rainfall.