CHENNAI: The onset of the northeast monsoon is likely in a few days, the Meteorological Department indicated on Tuesday.

Important monsoon

The monsoon is extremely important for Tamil Nadu. The season accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the annual rainfall in the State.

Nearly one half of the State received rain in the 24 hours ending 8-30 a.m. on Tuesday. About a dozen stations, especially in the southern districts, recorded heavy to very heavy rainfall.

Tuticorin and Ayikudi in Tirunelveli district recorded 12 cm and 10 cm of rain. Coonoor and Ketti (The Nilgiris district) received 15 cm each and Kothagiri, 10 cm.

Less rain in northern parts

But, there was not much rain in the northern districts. A feature of the northeast monsoon is that the northern parts normally receive more rain than other regions. This is why the department has chosen to wait for a few more days before declaring the advent of monsoon.

The usual date for the onset of monsoon is October 20, with an allowance of seven days.

Though the department does not make public its assessment of the likely behaviour of the monsoon, meteorologists are of the view that the 2006 monsoon is likely to be normal in view of the prevalence of El Nino conditions and the negative phase of southern oscillation.

Southwest monsoon withdraws

The department announced withdrawal of the southwest monsoon.

Against the normal 316 mm, the State recorded 248 mm rainfall from June to September. The percentage of departure from normal was minus 21.

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