Chennai: The South West Monsoon is setting new records in Tamil Nadu. While the August rains in the state were the highest in the past 50 years, there was another record for Coimbatore. The Manchester of South India noted 254mm in just the first four days of the month, thus breaking the all-time-record set in September 1972.
In 1972, Coimbatore received 218mm rain while this time around the city witnessed 254mm in just four days of the month. The station at the airport recoded 88mm (in 24 hours) till 5.30am on Tuesday, statistics from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated.
September rains have been a game changer to the region comprising Udumalaipet, Sulur, Coimbatore and Dharapuram, which have been receiving minimal southwest rains till the start of September.
The recorded rainfall is more than 4.8 times higher than the average Septem-ber rainfall noted at 52.8mm for Coimbatore. “Thunderstorms due to the upper air circulation are the root cause. Also the North South trough from Rayalaseema is passing through South Tamil Nadu, resulting in intense rainfall in Tamil Nadu”, weather blogger K Srikanth told Deccan Chronicle.
Parts of South Tamil Nadu are also witnessing highest their 24-hour rainfall. “Uttamapalayam in Theni district noted 24cm on 8.30am on Tuesday, which is the highest rainfall noted in 24 hours for this year’s south west monsoon in state.
It is higher than the rains received in Devala and Valparai, where 24-hour rainfall statistics are usually high,” said Srikanth, adding that the rains would continue for the next two-to-three days.
Could be best monsoon in seven years
According to statistics from IMD, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry noted an average mean rainfall of 305.4mm (excess of 41 per cent) during the southwest monsoon till date, thus inching closer to the 2010's overall record of 376.2mm. If the current pace of the rains continues, weather experts state that the state would break the previous record. As the monsoon pattern is predicted to extend till at least first week of October, there is a possibility of widespread rains throughout the state.
