The southern districts of Tamil Nadu got some relief from the blazing sun on Friday thanks to the heavy showers it witnessed. Tamil Nadu Met Department Director, S Balachander, speaking to reporters on Friday, forecast good rainfall on April 13 and 14 in the southern parts of the state.
So far, Coonoor has recorded 10 cm of rain, Kotagiri 8 cm and Sivagiri 7 cm of rain. He also hinted that a few regions in the Western Ghats might receive heavy rainfall.
The summer rains are a result of a low-pressure system formed in the northern part of the Indian Ocean.
Balachander has also warned south-district fishermen to not venture out into the seas for the next couple of days. “Maldives, Kumari and Lakshadweep areas are best avoided. The wind speed is predicted to be around 40- 50 kmph,” he said.
TN weather blogger, Pradeep John, also posted on his Facebook page, Tamil Nadu Weatherman, about the expected rains in south TN. “Today and tomorrow seem the best days for rains in South TN and west expecting a massive ball of clouds which blooms on daily basin (sic). Delta will get rains,” he wrote.
But can Chennai hope for cooler weather in the coming days? Speaking to TNM, Balachander clarified that the depression in south will in no way affect the city.
A circular from regional Met office reads, "The sky condition is likely to be partly cloudy. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 35 and 27 degrees Celsius respectively."
On March 13, southern districts such as Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram received good rainfall from the low-pressure system in the Arabian Sea.
On March 14, Pradeep posted that Thoothukudi had recorded its heaviest rainfall received in one day, measuring 200 mm, in the last 63 years.
With summer beginning to intensify in the state, the sudden showers are a welcome relief.