Chennai second wettest district in TN, records 56% excess rainfall from June

Tiruvannamalai received the highest rainfall in the state, recording 251.1mm of rain since June 1.

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Chennai’s South West monsoon season recorded rainfall levels that were 56% above normal since June 1 this year. It is hoped that the excess rain will replenish groundwater tables, which had undergone massive depletion and had contributed to the city’s major water crisis.

Data published by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) says that the city received 247.5 millimetres of rainfall from June 1 to July 27. The normal rainfall that Chennai is expected to receive every year from South West monsoon season is 159.1 mm.

However, Chennai is the second wettest place this summer with Tiruvannamalai district recording slightly higher amounts of rainfall than Chennai since June 1. Tiruvannamalai district received 251.1mm of rainfall between June 1 and July 27, which is 81% higher than the normal amount of rainfall that the district gets during this time of the year.

Chennai and its surrounding areas in Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts received adequate rainfall over the past few days due to the convergence of sea breeze over land. This means that moisture-bearing sea breeze entering the landmass brings rains with it.

Speaking to TNM about Chennai’s rainfall during South West monsoon, Pradeep John, popularly known as the ‘Tamil Nadu Weatherman,’ says it is not out of the ordinary for Chennai to receive excess rainfall during this monsoon season. However, he says that this will hardly contribute towards filling up Chennai’s lakes.

“Chennai’s lakes need heavy rainfall over the entire catchment area to fill up. The rainfall we had recently was not of that kind. Therefore it will not change anything when it comes to lake levels. However, it would have been good for the groundwater table,” he says.

He also recalls that Chennai received good rain levels in previous years in July, including 2015, 2010, 2007, 2001 etc. “It has happened a lot. It is not something extraordinary,” he points out.

While districts in northern Tamil Nadu recorded decent rainfall in recent days, other parts of Tamil Nadu remained rain-deficient. Coimbatore district recorded the maximum deficiency of rainfall this season. It received 73% less rainfall than the normal levels received during the South West monsoon.