Chennai: New year dawned with a cool breeze and a drizzle in Chennai, but rains are predicted mainly for the southern districts and the delta region this week.
While the state experienced a failed northeast monsoon in 2013, clocking a 33 per cent deficit, Met officials expect the new trough of low pressure over the southern Bay to bring some rains to Tamil Nadu.
“All models are indicating rainfall from January 4 and it would precipitate for about four days over the southern districts in Tamil Nadu and could reach up to Nagapattinam and Cuddalore,” said Dr Y.E.A. Raj, deputy director geÂneral of meteorology, ReÂgiÂonal Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai.
“Sometimes, the rains may reach Chennai city also. We will anyway see more clouding and moisture incursion leading to slightly higher minimum temperatures,” he added.
On Wednesday, the city recorded a minimum temperature of 23.5 degrees Celsius, whereas 20.9 degrees Celsius is normal.
Weather blogger R. Pradeep John said that the minimum temperature, which was around 19 degrees Celsius at Meenambakkam and 20 degrees Celsius at Nungambakkam for the past three days, had increased by about three degreeson Wednesday due to cloud cover. “The easterly wave will keep the minimum temperature above normal,” he added.
Noting that Chennai would get a respite from the cold wave, occasional rains could not be ruled out, Pradeep said.
The easterly waves would be of no use without a system forming over the Bay.
“The weak trough over the southern Bay will become a low pressure area in two days, but it is too early to say whether it will intensify and reach TN,” he added.
Next: Minus zero C after 8 years in Ooty
Minus zero C after 8 years in Ooty
B.Ravichandran | DC
Ooty: The year 2014 dawned to extreme chill at this queen of the hills stations. The mercury ducked below zero degÂree Celsius in the low-lying areas of the town.
While a cold wave and frosty weather has been ruling the roost since the third week of December with the minimum temperature ranging betwÂeen 2 to 4 degree Celsius for the past two weeks, the mercury dipped belÂow zero degree Celsius on Wednesday.
G.K.Umarani, assistant director of horticulture at Govt. Botanical Garden, said the minimum temperature recorded at the garden on Wednesday morning was –0.4 degree Celcius.
Ooty railway track is covered with frost. —DC
It is the first time this winter that the temperature has dipped below freezing.
The low-lying areas like Botanical garden,race course and railway station seemed to have had a white carpet rolled over them as severe frosting covered the ground.
Dr S.Rajan, field botanist and executive committee member of Nilgiris wildlife and environment association, said that for the first time in eight years the minimum temperature has dipped down below zero degree Celsius.
Early morning walkers like him on found the conditions extremely tough on New Year Day, with the freezing temperature chilling their bones.
The day was, however, marked by bright sunshine.
The cold wave with frost between dusk and dawn is expected to continue till the end of the month.
Next: Bravado drives youngsters to daredevilry on New Year Eve
Bravado drives youngsters to daredevilry on New Year Eve
R. Mohan |?DC
Chennai: A joke among many on binge drinking on New Year’s Eve goes like this — Symptom: The room is shaking a lot, everyone is dressed in white and the music is very repetitive; Cause: You are in an ambulance.
Ironically, travelling in an ambulance is the fate of at least a few dozen young motorcycle riders on either side of midnight on NYE.
Fuelled by the sense of bravado liquor induces, youngsters are seen doing the wheelie, riding triples at dangerous speeds, weaving in and out of traffic or worse, believing they are Evel Knievel (Don’f roget – he broke 433 bones in his career).
The police are only hapless bystanders although they try everything, including putting up big TV screens to advise the crowds on how to behave on NYE and using the tannoy at crossroads to plead with youngsters to slow down a bit on their bikes.
Traffic cops create awareness on road rules on LCD screens installed near Ashok Pillar signal on New Year's Eve. -DC
They were also outnumbered by a factor of at least 1,000 around the Marina Beach where it appeared the whole city had congregated to welcome 2014.
The drunken revelry could get on frayed nerves if not for everyone being in a joyful and expectant mood around that time as the year changes and the fireworks go up.
The dancing on the streets is full of energy in the streets of Triplicane, with even black and sandal colour veshti-clad devotees climbing on to minibuses and vans to dance as the traffic crawls an hour after midnight when the first of the revelers begin thinking of a warm bed in the December-January night chill.
Notwithstanding the barricades at frequent intervals to curb speedingthe bikers find the freedom of ECR so intoxicating that two-wheeler riders are in far greater danger there. This year’s toll of five is higher than the previous two years in which the average was two.
Those with speed in their DNA would be well advised to try out the city’s race track at irungattukottai rather than the roads of Chennai.
No one wishes to be a killjoy but it is the life of young people with a whole life ahead of them that renders the fatalities so very tragic.
Next: Chennaiites ring in Day 1 with godliness
Chennaiites ring in Day 1 with godliness
J. V. Siva Prasanna Kumar |?DC
Chennai: People ushered in 2014 on an auspicious note by visiting temples.
The day coincided with Hanumath JayaÂnthi and also the commeÂncement of the attractive Pagalpathu and Rapathu festival at Vaishnavaite teÂmÂples in the state.
Hundreds of devotees waÂitÂed in long winding queÂues for hours at many temples for darshan.
At the HaÂnuman temple in NangaÂnaÂllur, here, which was brought under the ambit of the state Hindu Religious and Charitable EndowÂmeÂnts department last year, a large number of devotees waited for three hours to get a darshan of the Lord.
People shout their lungs out on Marina beach welcoming 2014 on Tuesday night. — DC
“In addition to the usual crowd that visit on New Year’s Day, people from various parts of the city and suburbs had come to the temple in view of HanuÂmath jayanthi.
NevertheÂless, the temple administration had made elaborate arrangements for the darshan,” an official said.
Hanumath Jayanthi is observed during MargasÂhÂirsha Amavasya coinciding with the Moolam NakshaÂtram — the birth star of Lord Anjaneya.
The air was filled with festive atmosphere. The chÂuÂrches, too, rang in the New Year with special maÂss. Hundreds of devotees thÂronged the Andavar temple at Vadapalani, the ancÂient Sri Kapaleeswarar teÂmÂple, Mylapore, besides the TTD Information CeÂntre’s Lord Venkateswara temple at T. Nagar.
The Markazhi PagalÂpaÂtÂhu preceding the VaikunÂta Ekadasi commenced at the renowned Sri ParthÂasaÂraÂtÂhy Swamy temple, TriÂpliÂcane and Sri Madhava PeÂruÂmal temple, Mylapore, heÂre and also at other VaÂishnaivaite temples across the state on Wednesday.
The Raa pathu festival will be held for 10 days after VaÂikunta Ekadasi on Jan. 11.
The Kadumbadi ChinnaÂmÂman temple, Saidapet, was decorated with flowers, fruits and vegetables, while the Potravai BhaÂdÂrakali Amman at Bhanu Nagar, Ambattur, was decorated with currency.
