CHENNAI: According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Tamil Nadu has recorded a rainfall deficit of 10 per cent from the northeast monsoon.
The northeast monsoon arrived in Tamil Nadu on October 1, a day ahead of its forecast date.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday,Dr. N Puviarasan, Director, Regional Meteorological Department, Chennai, informed that the state has recorded a large deficit margin this year as against the normal rainfall received during the same period.” Beginning November 1 till date, Tamil Nadu has managed to receive 8 cm of rainfall as against the normal of 16 cm. Meanwhile, Chennai has received only 8 cm of rainfall from November 1 as against the normal rainfall of 30 cm,” he added.
In October, Tamil Nadu recorded an average of 20 cm rainfall as against the normal 17 cm- an excess of 14 percent.
However, the rainfall this month has rather been poor. The northeast monsoon has begun to subside and is expected to weaken in the upcoming days, according to a Skymet weather report.
Nilgiris(65 %) Ramanathapuram (32 %), Coimbatore(31%), Pudukottai (14 %) and Erode (13%)were among the districts which received excess rainfall starting from October 1 till date. Among districts, Ariyalur recorded the maximum deficit rainfall ( 42 %) followed by Chennai ( 37 %) and Perambalur (35 %). Puducherry too is at a deficit of 44 %, according to a Regional Met department report.
Tamilnadu receives 48 percent ( about 945 mm) of its annual rainfall from the northeast monsoons. Largely dependent on the monsoons, their failure has time and again has left the state, especially Chennai staring at acute water scarcity, as evident from the 2019 drought. Meanwhile, the combined water storage capacity of Chennai's four main reservoirs- Poondi, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Chembarabakkam stood at 3208 Mcft as of todayThese subdued monsoon activities are expected to continue until November 26 which will give way to a 'monsoon surge' around November 27. During this period, the state is likely to receive ' 'widespread rain and thunderstorm', the agency predicted.
