Heavy rains have been lashing Chennai over the past two days with some areas receiving record-breaking amounts of rainfall. According to data by the India Meteorological Department on Monday, June 20, Taramani in Chennai recorded 11 cm rain, while Chennai airport area, Alandur, and Anna University areas witnessed 9 cm rain each. Nungambakkam recorded 8 cm and Sholinganallur saw 7 cm rain. In MGR Nagar and Ayanavaram Taluk office, 6 cm rain was recorded.
On Monday, too, Chennai witnessed thundershowers and heavy rains in many parts of the city. As of 8.30 am on June 21, Tuesday, Chennai Nungambakkam received 48.9 mm rainfall, and Meenambakkam saw 30.9 mm rainfall. According to IMD statistics, this is the highest amount of rain recorded in the past 10 years. The highest rainfall recorded in June in the past ten years earlier was in 2016 when Chennai saw 53.2 mm of rainfall over 24 hours.
More rains have been predicted for Chennai as well as other parts of Tamil Nadu, as southwest monsoon has settled over the state. On June 21, the IMD has predicted light to moderate rain at many places with isolated thunderstorms and lightning over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal. Heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindigul, Theni, Erode, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Tirupattur, Ranipet and Tiruvallur districts of Tamil Nadu, the IMD has said.
On June 22, light to moderate rain is likely to occur at a few places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal.
In Chennai, over the next two days, the IMD has said that the sky condition is likely to be partly cloudy. “Thunderstorm with light to moderate rain is likely to occur in some areas. Maximum and minimum temperature is likely to be around 35˚C and 26-27˚C respectively,” the IMD said in its bulletin on Monday.