The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Good rainfall in districts last week

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 11, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Good rainfall in districts last week

T. Ramakrishnan

Enhanced rainfall forecast for next 2 days

CHENNAI : The State, which received less rainfall than normal during the southwest monsoon till the end of August, has witnessed widespread rainfall in the last one week.

Though the overall amount of rainfall recorded by the State has not exceeded the expectations of experts, the week ending September 6 saw almost all districts receive excess rain.

Between June 1 and September 6, the meteorological subdivision of Tamil Nadu (inclusive of Pondicherry) registered 183 mm against the normal 218 mm. As the departure from the anticipated quantum of rainfall is less than (plus or minus) 19 per cent, it is, in meteorological parlance, called normal. In this case, the departure is minus 19 per cent.

Except Tiruchi and Tirunelveli, other districts, in an equal measure, came under the categories of `normal' and `deficient' for the period. Tiruchi received 233 mm (departure: 43 per cent) and Tirunelveli 85 mm (33 per cent). Both were under the category of `excess'.

However, during the week ending September 6, the State, in general, received 44 mm against the normal 19 mm. All but three districts registered excess rainfall for the week.

Though the State experienced normal rainfall last year during the period of June 1 to the first week of September, this time it registered a negative value. In 2005, the departure from the normal was plus eight per cent. But, this year, it is on the negative side.

In 2003 and 2004, Tamil Nadu recorded excess rainfall of 32 per cent and 22 per cent respectively. While in 2002, the rainfall was deficient (minus 43 per cent) and in 2001, it was normal with minus 13 per cent.

Though the southwest monsoon (June-September) accounts for about 35 per cent of the State's annual rainfall, the successful southwest monsoon helps the State realise heavy inflows early after the onset of northeast monsoon (October-December).

The Meteorological Department has forecast enhanced rainfall for the next two days all over the State.

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