Northeast monsoon likely to extend, say weather experts

Chennai: It could just be a technical end to the northeast monsoon, which marked an immense deficiency in the annual rainfall this year. However, going by the trusted weather models, weather experts believe it to be an extended monsoon, the phenomenon which was witnessed 21 years ago.

There is a high possibility of a repeat of 1995 and 1986 scenario, this time where the state received incessant rains during Pongal. Weather models indicate, the formation of a system in the second week of January, said weather blogger Pradeep John.

“January 1986 received incessant rains during Pongal due to a tropical depression that formed off the Sri Lanka coast. That year, the month of January rains at Meenambakkam and Nungambakkam were 170.43mm and 153mm, the majority of it due to the Pongal system. Surprisingly, it also resulted in flooding in the city,” reminisced S. Shiva, weather blogger at Keaweather.

In 1995, the rainfall for January was 114.3mm in Meenambakkam, whereas the good quantum was noted during Pongal. Explaining the northeast monsoon scenario, Shiva said, “Though NEM officially concludes on December 31, the state has seen a few systems during January over the years. Pongal and January systems are a rarity, but spill over rains could be witnessed, stretching up to mid-January.”