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Chennai Faces Rainfall Deficit as Monsoon Rains Subside
17 Aug
Summary
- Chennai recorded 8% below-normal rainfall since June
- Meenambakkam observatory shows 15 cm rainfall deficit
- Dry spell expected to return after brief showers in the next few days
As of August 17, 2025, the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu has been facing a rainfall deficit since the start of the monsoon season in June. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Chennai has recorded nearly 8% below-normal rainfall over the past two months.
The Meenambakkam observatory, which covers the southern suburbs of the city, has shown a significant 15 cm deficit in rainfall during this period. While the northeast monsoon is still two months away, meteorologists predict that the city and its surrounding areas may only experience isolated spells of light and moderate rainfall over the next few days before a dry spell returns.
Experts suggest that a low-pressure system near the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coast is expected to move inland, potentially reducing the rain intensity over southern states like Tamil Nadu. However, some clouds on the periphery of this system may still bring brief showers to Chennai and neighboring regions for the next two to three days.
After this brief respite, the city is likely to face a drier period as back-to-back systems over the northwest Bay of Bengal draw away the moisture, leading to a marginal rise in temperatures.
