Low pressure brings last ray of hope on rain in Tamil Nadu

For water-scarce Tamil Nadu, there is still some hope of a respite in the form of a low pressure area. The system, lay centred around the Bay of Bengal, is promising to bring rainfall over the state that had endured one of the worst Northeast monsoons in recent times.

Despite a record four cyclones lashing the eastern shores, rainfall over Tamil Nadu fell nearly 30 per cent short of the average monsoon rains. A senior Met official who spoke to Deccan Herald told on Thursday that a low pressure area has formed in the Bay of Bengal which is expected to move north-westerly direction.

"The low pressure is expected to intensify further and will bring heavy rain from January 4 over south Tamil Nadu", the official said. This might be the last low pressure area before the withdrawal of North East Monsoon, he added.

The official said the state had its worst monsoon in 1995, when it fell 46 per cent short of average rain during the monsoon season.

The official said the winds from the north started much earlier this year, deflecting the monsoon from Tamil Nadu.

“It affected the formation of low pressure areas as the temperature slope between land and sea was not effective,” he further added.

The northeast monsoon is the major source of rains for Tamil Nadu, accounting for 48 per cent of its annual rainfall. The season provides 60 per cent of rains for the coastal districts.

The latest Indian Meteorological Department figures show Tamil Nadu has fallen 33 per cent short of its average rains as on December 31. According to the figures, 27 out of 32 districts have registered deficit rains.

Only Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Kaniyakumari, Tirunelveli and the Nilgiris have registered normal rains this season. The state had only 29 cm of rains, against the normal rainfall of 44 cm, with the Cauvery delta regions recording the highest shortfalls of 30 per cent.