It is still a rainy story

The reports of the continuing Chennai rainfall are remarkably uniform in their content. We are not talking about the recent reports but also the ones that reported the depressions of a few weeks ago. The story still remains that there is an unusually strong monsoon in action in the Coromandel coast and this monsoon also stirs the Bay of Bengal once every few weeks and new depressions rush along to make news.

The highlights of the latest depression - the one forming a low pressure in the Gulf of Mannar - are:

Frequent spells of heavy rain lash Chennai as well as surrounding areas in
Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states.

The reservoirs are overflowing - Chennai's main source of water supply, the Chembarambakkam reservoir is full and water is being released at the rate of 1500 cusecs. Likewise 96,000 cusecs have been released from the Amaravathy dam causing a flood alert to be issued in Karur and Tiruchirapalli districts.

Schools and colleges in most districts of Tamil Nadu are closed today.

The much anticipated Chennai one-day cricket match between India and South Africa (Nov. 22) was a complete washout. Three separate public interest litigations have been filed in the Madras HighCourt against the TNCA and BCCI demanding a refund of the ticket amount.
This is the third time in three years that a cricket match in Chennai has been abandoned due to rainfall. Needless to say, all three matches were scheduled around the same time of the year. The best time to host a cricket match in Chennai is the January - March period. TNCA, hear hear.

An overview of what the weather bureau predicts for the next 48 hours:

Rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at most places over Tamilnadu and Pondicherry, at many places over South Coastal Andhrapradesh, Rayalaseema, South Interior Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep and at a few places over Coastal Karnataka. Isolated rain or thundershowers are likely to occur over North Coastal Andhrapradesh and North Interior Karnataka. Mainly dry weather will prevail over Telangana.

Heavy rain is likely to occur at a few places with isolated very heavy rain over Tamilnadu and Pondicherry during the next 48 hours. Isolated heavy rain is also likely to occur over South Interior Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep and Nellore and Chittur districts of Andhrapradesh during the same period.

Forecast for Chennai city: Generally cloudy with few spells of rain, heavy at times.