India: Brief Reprieve From Flooding Rain Before Weekend Downpours Return

By Eric Leister, Meteorologist

November 25,2015; 9:15PM,EST

 

 

A couple of days of drier weather is expected across southern India before downpours return and renew the threat of flooding this weekend.
Rainfall has been relentless across southern India this month resulting in multiple events of flooding from Chennai to Kochi.
Through Nov. 24, Chennai has reported more than 970 mm (38.20 inches) of rain, roughly 314 percent of the normal rainfall expected for the entire month of November.
Indians help a man carry his two-wheeler on a cycle cart as they wade through a waterlogged subway in Chennai, India, Monday, Nov. 9, 2015. (AP Photo/Arun Sankar K.)
There has only been three days so far this month with no rainfall reported in the city.
A push of dry air from the northeast will finally bring a break from the persistent wet weather with little to no rainfall in the forecast for southern India through Friday.

The most likely area to get a few showers and a thunderstorm will be across southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala. A thunderstorm or two will also dot the mountains surrounding Mumbai each afternoon. Heavy rainfall is not expected in either case.
The dry weather will not last, however, as yet another surge of tropical moisture will arrive from the Bay of Bengal as early as Saturday.
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This moisture will renew downpours across Sri Lanka and the east coast of India from Tamil Nadu into southern Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.
Downpours will spread across all of southern India on Sunday and Monday, though the heaviest rainfall will likely remain near the coast from Chidambaram northward to Chennai and Machilipatnam. New flooding problems arising is a serious concern.
A view of a residential area flooded following heavy rains in Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. Incessant rains that lashed the city since Saturday night flooded several parts of Chennai. (AP Photo/Arun Sankar K)
The potential exists for development of a tropical cyclone to the east of Chennai in the Bay of Bengal early next week.
At this time, it appears the heaviest rainfall will shift northward during the middle of next week; however, anyone living along or near the east coast of India would closely monitor this situation.