Rare June rains lashes Chennai, record spell in 27 yrs

Chennai: Rains in the month of June are a rarity in Chennai and its neighbouring districts, as the city received a record spell in 27 years on Monday, while the suburban Meenambakkam Observatory getting second highest rainfall in 73 years.

No deaths were reported in any part of the State, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KSKSR Ramachandran said.

He said one man was injured due to thunder in Tiruvannamalai district.

There were also no reports of loss of cattles or damages to any hutments, he added.

After nearly two weeks of intense heat during which the mercury level hovered around 104 to 107 Deg F for a record 13 days in succession, heavy rains lashed Chennai city, suburbs and the neighbouring districts, providing the much needed respite to the people, who were reeling under scorching heat.

The rains, accompanied by gusty winds and thunder, which began around 09.45 p.m. on Sunday night, gathered steam about an hour later, intensified around midnight and continued on Monday with the spells lasting almost non-stop for 12 hours.

As the day progressed, though the intensity of the rains receded, the city and suburbs witnessed spells of rains ensuring a chilly weather all through the day.

In terms of extreme weather, the Chennai City has seen it all in June this year--the city was experiencing a record heatwave until two days ago. It now back on the charts for yet another record, on the rainfall received on Monday.

The heavy downpour across the city set a new record of the highest rainfall received in June in Chennai, after nearly 27 years.

June 1996 still holds the record for record rains in a single day when the Nungambakkam weather station in Chennai city had received a whopping 34.7 cm and Meenambakkam 28.2 cm.

In a rare event in June, a rain holiday was declared for schools in six districts, including Chennai.

It was for the first time in 27 years the holiday was declared for schools due to rain in the month of June.

Talking to reporters, Dr.S.Balachandran, Additional Director General of Meteorology, Chennai, said with 16 cms of rain, the suburban Meenambakkam weather station recorded the second highest rainfall in a single day in June in the past 73 years.

Similarly, it was the third-highest daily rainfall registered in Nungambakkam in June, with 10 cm.

Though holidays were declared for schools only and the School Education Department stating that the Plus-Two Supplementary exams will be held as scheduled, the rains caused much hardship to the office-goers,who had to wade through the stagnated rain waters.

A popular weather blogger said Chennai received heavy rainfall in the first week of June in 1991 and then again in 1996. "After 27 years, the city was lashed by heavy rains.

Though the rains will continue for the next few days, the intensity would not be this much, he said.

Chilly weather prevailed over Chennai and suburbs, bringing down the temperature by more than 4 Deg C, while it dropped significantly to around 6 to 7 Deg C in other districts.

Dr Balachandran said Chennai city has received 163 per cent excess rainfall as against the average of 4 cms in June, as 10.3 cm of rain was recorded since last night.

The Chennai city recorded the third highest rainfall in June with 10 cm rain, and 27 years ago it was 34.7 cm,” he added.

The highest every single day rainfall recorded was on June 5, 1991, when the city received about 15.5 cm of rains.

The neighbouring Kancheepuram district received 148 per cent excess rainfall.

The nearly 12-hour non-stop downpour was so heavy that left several areas waterlogged and the Greater Chennai Corporation staff swung into action and pumped out the stagnated water.

Heavy rain along with thunderstorm activity was forecast for more than 11 districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villuppuram, Mayiladuthurai, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet and Cauvery delta districts of the State for the next two days.

Dr Balachandran attributed the heavy rains to the presence of upper air atmospheric circulation over southwest Bay of Bengal and the easterlies and westerly winds between the east-west shear zone over the sea, and likely to move towards north.

"The cross equatorial flow of wind has influenced the formation of a cyclonic circulation over southwest Bay of Bengal. A wind convergence zone of easterlies and westerlies also prevails.

A combination of these factors led to a shift in weather patterns and the downpour," he said.

As the rains accompanied by gusty winds--with speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph along the Tamil Nadu coast, Comorin area and Southwest Bay of Bengal--will continue for the next two days, fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea. (UNI)