Chennai and its surrounding areas experienced heavy rainfall and thunderstorms since Wednesday afternoon, offering residents a much-needed break from the intense summer heat. The thunderstorms brought approximately 8.5 cm of rain to Chembarambakkam within a few hours, culminating at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The southern suburbs, including Meenambakkam and West Tambaram, also recorded significant rainfall, with 6 cm of rain.The heavy downpour led to waterlogging on arterial roads in the southern fringes, causing significant traffic disruptions in some suburbs. Moderate to heavy rain continued to lash several other areas in and around the city, contributing to the overall wet spell.
Meteorologists attribute the sudden weather change to a cyclonic circulation over the southwest Bay of Bengal, off the south Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu coasts. This weather system has particularly impacted the Kancheepuram, Chennai, and Tiruvallur regions. Additionally, the active southwest monsoon over the state has further influenced convective activity and thunderstorms, enhancing the rainfall.
The unexpected showers have provided relief to Chennai residents, who had been enduring high temperatures. However, the heavy rainfall has also highlighted the need for better infrastructure to handle such weather events and prevent waterlogging and traffic disruptions.
