Chennai: One of the coolest June in decades

If you enjoyed the weather more this June, you had good reason to feel as if spring was in the air. It was the third coolest June in 42 years with the mercury dipping below the average for 14 days in the month, said Met officials. “This June, the average fell from 37 to 35.2 degrees Celsius. In 1991, it was 34.3 degrees and 34.9 degrees in 1996,” said YEA Raj, deputy director general, regional meteorological centre. Since 2005, the monthly average has been higher.

“For the first time in recent memory, I decided to make my family spend May and June in the city, and it is a decision I do not regret,” said Priya Anandan, who usually spends the holidays in Ooty. Although children said they felt cheated because they couldn’t play outdoor cricket due to rains, most others were thankful. “Normally, there is self-rationing of water in our apartment complex but due to the rains there was no disruption in supply,” said N Mohan of RA Puram.

With the onset of the southwest monsoon, local thunder storm activity brought in a good amount of rainfall to the city. Met officials said the arrival of cyclone Laila and the rainfall in the wake of its withdrawal was the beginning of a good run on the weather front. The city enjoyed nine days of rainfall of varying degrees this June. Although nowhere near the record 698 mm seen in 1996, Nungambakkam registered 137 mm and Meenambakkam 130. The city’s normal is around 40 mm for June, added Raj. In 1991, the city received 264 mm in June.

The thunderstorm activity was not restricted to the city alone, with all but three districts receiving excess rainfall. Against the normal of 42.1 mm, the state received 78.5 mm, an 87% excess. “The last month has been exceedingly good for the state. The trend is likely to continue in July as well, and we can expect more rains and cooler days,” added Raj.

courtesy - TOI (corrections done in Image)