According to a meteorological department official, these rains are being cause by an upper atmospheric circulation.
In what has been a rare weather pattern for January, heavy to moderate rains have been lashing Chennai and adjoining districts of Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu since the wee hours of Tuesday (January 5). Private weather bloggers estimate that over the last 24hours, there has been 14cms of rainfall, which is much more than what the city receives in the first six months of the year. “Today’s rain is above monthly average for all months except October and November” a blogger had pointed out.
Popular weather bloggers have been pointing out the possibility of rains over the last few days, however, the state-run Meteorological department has failed to predict anything beyond cloudy skies. The latest update from the Meteorological department has predicted heavy rain with thunderstorms for the next 24hours over isolated places in Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Puducherry, Ranipettai and Tiruvannamalai. According to a meteorological department official, these rains are being cause by an upper atmospheric circulation. However, no warning has been issued for fishermen who are venturing out to seas.
Currently, the total storage of five reservoirs that supply water to Chennai is at 10,986mcft, against a capacity of 11,757mcft. Reservoirs maintaining nearly 93.4% storage ahead of an impending summer is reassuring news for the drought-prone Southern metropolis. Considering the heavy rains in Chennai and suburban areas, the authorities have also started releasing minimal quantities of water from the Chembarambakkam and Red Hills reservoirs, as is custom when they near their maximum capacity.
"In the first phase, 500 cusecs of surplus water will be released from Chembarambakkam reservoir," an official release here said.
Authorities advised people living close to the banks of Adyar River and other channels that carry the surplus water from the reservoir to not get close to the river or other water bodies and stay at safe places. The flood gates of sprawling reservoir were opened on November 25 for the first time in five years following heavy rains then ahead of Nivar cyclone brought in copious inflows under the influence of the North East Monsoon.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "A motorcyclist braves heavy rain in Chennai.")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}