Chennai weather: City experiences moderate rainfall, few parts could see waterlogging

Chennai received rainfall, with IMD-Tamil Nadu issuing an alert for moderate rainfall with thunderstorms. The weather department said that some parts of the city might experience waterlogging and traffic jams.

On Saturday, it was reported that Chennai recorded nearly 8% below-normal rainfall since June, with the Meenambakkam observatory, covering the southern suburbs, showing a 15 cm deficit.

As the northeast monsoon is still two months away, meteorologists say the suburbs may get only isolated spells over the next two to three days before a dry spell returns.

Light and moderate rainfall is predicted across the state of Tamil Nadu until August 21.

Experts said a low pressure near the south Odisha–north Andhra Pradesh coast is expected to move inland, bringing rain to central India. This may reduce rain intensity over southern states.

"But some clouds on the periphery of the system may move over south Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu, bringing brief showers to the city and neighbouring areas. This may last for two to three days," Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist, Skymet Weather told TOI. "After that, a dry spell may prevail and temperatures may marginally rise as back-to-back systems over northwest Bay of Bengal will draw away moisture."

Since June 1, Chennai recorded 22 cm of rainfall, around 8% below normal. This includes 27 cm in Nungambakkam, around 3 cm excess, and 12 cm in Meenambakkam, around 15 cm deficit. The state received 18 cm rainfall during the same period, around 15% above normal.