Post-rain recce

You don't need to read this blog to figure out that the weather patterns everywhere are going through some shifts. Chennai's weather has also been cranky. Even though there would be a few days with sharp showers in June, the past month has actually had people thinking about the weather as being a factor in their plans. 

On one such day, we had a mongoose in our next door apartment complex come around to take a look. He must have been quite satisfied with the way things were. Wet weather on a day or five can't change his plans significantly!

Rains, anyone?

An old photo of the Raintree on Mount Road. 

Looks like it is going to rain tomorrow - at least that's what the forecasts say. The rain itself is secondary; if there is some way by which temperatures come down a few degrees, we will all be glad for that!

Windblown

Unlike that TV-journalist who was pretending to be covering Cyclone Biparjoy, this one makes no claims. 

All papier-mâché, she just sits unconcerned in the middle of an exhibition hall, while around her swirl people. The 'wind' seems to be from one direction only!

 

 

Dark clouds

A photo from a year ago. Chennai has been sweltering because of the ripple effect from Cyclone Mocha.

Thinking of everyone affected by the cyclone today. Prayers for them to get back to regular routines soon enough!

 

That way!

Early morning on the Marina.

Kannagi seems to be directing the sun on where to shine. According to legend, she set the whole city of Madurai on fire when her husband was falsely accused, and punished, in a case of having cheated the queen of her anklet. 

That was eons ago. This statue of Kannagi is much more recent, and Chennai is not Madurai, anyway. But is Kannagi the reason why December continues to be so warm? 

Uprooted

If you happened to drive across Chennai yesterday, you would have been surprised at the density of greenery lining the roads. No matter what part of the city you were in, the green roadsides would have been the default sight. It is not as if the city grew green thumbs overnight; all of the green would have been the effect of Cyclone Vardah, the most severe storm to hit Chennai in a generation. That's what they say, but I will go further to say that C. Vardah is the most severe of the past 50 years at least.

The official statistics of the numbers of fallen trees is in 3 digits, but most certainly many more than that have fallen. One estimate says 12,000 trees. There are all kinds of debates about which trees were able to weather the storm better than the others. In general, it seems that the "local" species stood up to the winds, shedding a lot of their leaves, and some branches, while the "exotic" species were more easily brought down in their entirety. 

The jury is still out on that; but being a domestic species was obviously no guarantee that Vardah would be gentle on you. This peepul (Ficus religiosa) tree - I'm told it was over 70 years old - just toppled over, bringing down with it an industrial shed, an electricity post and the power cables running along it. The whole locality has been without power for the past two days. Maybe one of the other trees in the background - the neem (Azadirachta indica) or the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) - would not have caused this extent of damages!

Weather report?

Cyclone Vardah is expected to make landfall this evening. It has been looming as a menacing presence in the Bay of Bengal since Thursday last, building up its fury and even practicing its menace over Thailand and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is expected to be the most severe storm in over a generation to hit northern Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, the region where it is expected to move over from sea to land. There have been so many instances in the past where such cyclones have veered northwards, sometimes over 90º, to threaten Odisha or even Bangladesh. 

But Cyclone Vardah seems to be charting a straight path. And it is threatening wind speeds of 95kmph+; Chennai is the biggest city in its way, and we are all bracing for impact this afternoon. 

Last evening was the proverbial calm before the storm. The sea at the Marina Beach was a little rougher than usual. The mounted police cantered up and down the beach, ensuring that folks were staying up, away from the water. In the midst of it all was this gentleman, probably trying to re-assure members of his family that Cyclone Vardah is not all that fearsome at is being made out - but then, we shall know the truth of that in a few hours from now!

Simple things

No, we haven't had more rains in Chennai. And no, it is not because I have been so traumatized by those rains in December.

It is just that this picture seemed to be just right for today's Theme Day - Simplicity. What can be more simple than this paper boat? And what childhood joy can be more profound than getting wet in a gentle rain, while setting such boats out on their journeys?

Tagore has written about them; Jagajit and Chitra Singh have sung about them - both works highly charged with simple emotions!  

Photo of the year

For a couple of generations to come, 2015 in Chennai will be remembered as the year of the floods. In November 2015, rainfall in Chennai was a shade under 105 cm (42 inches); it narrowly failed to beat the record of 109 cm set in November 1918. But it was enough to set up a wet December; the first two days of the month brought 34.5 cm of rain. To find a similar deluge, you'd have to go back to 1901. On those two days, the city was brought to its knees, officially being declared a disaster zone on the evening of December 2. 

This picture is from 3rd December, after the flood waters had been receding from this street through the day. A broken crate stuck in the middle of the road warns people of an open manhole at that spot. This was one of the less-affected areas of the city. In many of Chennai's suburbs, the waters remain, not finding a way to go out.

So, the city looks forward to 2016 being a 'normal' year. Sunshine for 350 days, and sixteen days of rain being spread out from October to December, helping us forget the wet end to 2015. So, a very happy New Year to everyone - may 2016 give of its best to all of us, getting us closer to our dreams!

Thirsty birds

At this apartment complex, the residents have decided it is too cold to use the pool. That is good news for these Blue Rock Pigeons (Columba livia). Nobody is going to disturb them as they line up to drink water from here!

Dragon-sky

Early morning, the clouds are running across the sky. And the dragonflies are also going crazy. There were hundreds of them flying around in the soft light of the morning, before the heat gets to them!

Direction

The white-on-blue signboards are not only on shops. This one directs visitors (of course it can't be for the residents) to the housing complex within the Regional Meteorological Centre, Nungambakkam.

It is certainly not the oldest meteorological observatory in the country - but it has been around for long enough for this sign to be considered of recent vintage!

Weather-beaten

I am still not convinced that the dome in the picture is really a part of the main business of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Nungambakkam. It looks a bit like an oddly-shaped water-tank, but being where it is, I must accept that it is very likely to have a scientific purpose. The RMC is, of course, one of the six such across the country; this one covers the four southern states, Pondicherry and Lakshadweep. 

Although the RMC was formally set up only on April 1, 1945, its beginnings go back to 1769. The transit of Venus that year saw a lot of activity, which ultimately ended up, unfortunately, with little to show for it. One of those who must have been deeply affected by this was William Petrie, who was at that time a junior civil servant in Fort St George. By 1786, Petrie was a big shot and had enough money to spare for an iron-and-timber observatory, its instruments and to employ an assistant named John Goldingham. By 1792, when Sir Charles Oakeley was the Governor of Madras, the proposal for an observatory was backed by Micheal Topping, who had made a name himself as the 'most talented and highly qualified all-round surveyor of the East India Company'. Petrie's instruments, and the observatory itself, were moved to a garden house on the banks of the Cooum, with John Goldingham taking charge as the first Astronomer.

That, of course, was the first Observatory in the country. Having been reduced to a mere RMC now cannot take that credit away from it, no matter how the wind blows!

Thirsty birds

It is just February and Chennai is getting into its second season - the 'Hotter' season. Temperatures are in the high 20s and are expected to move into the 30s during this week (and that's Celsius, in case you're wondering). Not dog days, yet, but bird days, maybe?

At the Ambattur Industrial Estate, there is certainly one bird lover, at least. Outside a factory gate, there is this mid-sized ficus growing. As in many other places, a shrine has come up under the ficus, showing all signs of being well tended to. On a more practical note, however, is the provisioning of water; there is a mud-pot in the shade, which I guess is for humans. The bird lover has gone further and set up this drinking trough, with some space for grains as well. We didn't get to see any bird use it - maybe they have to learn Tamizh, for it clearly says on the trough that it is "பறவைகள் தண்ணீர் குடிக்க (for birds to drink)"!

Water woes

If you had grown up in the 1970s and 80s in Madras, you will look at this with nostalgia. Pumping iron had a completely different meaning, but you had to get this mechanism going before you could use it as your personal gym. That first mug of water, poured into the barrel as you start moving the lever up and down, to "build up presser". And the thrill of hearing the wheezing change into a solid thump as the water surges through the pipes in time to your pumping. One-handed pumping, making sure the "presser" did not drop until all the buckets in the house were full, keeping the flow of water even - all these were forms of entertainment. 

Not to mention the "body-building" aspect of this. Good exercise for your arms to fill up ten buckets of water every day. And then to carry them to various points in the house, all full, hoping that mom doesn't notice the spilled drops before you had a chance to wipe them dry... well, that kind of thing doesn't happen these days. 

For starters, the water availability is itself suspect. After a less than average monsoon, Chennai city is going to have a difficult time in the summer ahead. Start conserving. Now!

Stormrider

Not too many people in Chennai would be concerned about Hurricane Sandy since this morning, I guess. Having gone to bed last night knowing that Sandy had quietened down, attention was once more turned to the local lad who had been pouring all along the south-eastern seaboard of India. Cyclone Nilam is expected to cross the coast this evening. The US Navy's map shows it as passing just south of Chennai. We can certainly look forward to a lot of water today, I guess.

Will the cyclone itself target Chennai? It has been a while since that happened. For years, Chennaiites have been used to hearing how the cyclone of the season was tracking to cross the coast: first the wide range between Nagapattinam and Cuddalore; then, Cuddalore and Chennai, followed by Chennai and Nellore, before making landfall between Nellore and Ongole - or veering off towards Bangladesh. It appeared that Chennai was well protected and we remained thankful, even as we agonized over losses in places far less prepared to face a cyclone.

Nilam will be less violent than Thane was, according to the Met. Office. So maybe there is still a chance that you can take a walk down the Marina as it pours away like this!

How's the weather?

A few months ago, there were some reports that the Nungambakkam Regional Meteorological Centre was planning to display weather bulletins in a highly sophisticated fashion at its premises on College Road.

A couple of days ago, I noticed that even this not-so-sophisticated display has been taken down. Granted that Chennai's weather is fairly constant, but we'd still like to know how hot and humid it is!

Beat the heat

Now that summer is back - even in Chennai, it does go away for a bit, you know - the heat busters are in great demand. Cold sodas and all that are fine, they will give you some relief, but what you really need is some old-fashioned coolers. Like the water from tender coconuts, or even palm nuts, but the latter are not as commonplace as coconuts, and not too many people know how cooling they can be.

Chennai is sweltering already, even though it is nowhere near the peaks that would come during the agni nakshatram (fire star) phase. The forecast high for that period is 48 degrees. And yes, that is in Celsius - it will take a lot of elaneer (tender coconut water) to cool that off!

Clouds over the city

You may not be able to figure it out from the photo, but it is actually pouring down; well, maybe if you click on the picture, you may see some white streaks. You would dismiss it as being just another of those mild showers that make Chennai interesting. But today was special. Unlike those earlier this year, it was the real thing today. The Met department has officially announced that the North East monsoon has hit Chennai yesterday, within the range when it is supposed to: in fact, it is slightly on the earlier side. That's certainly good news, because Chennai depends on this season to provide it water to last through until the winds come down from the Himalayas over the Bay of Bengal the next year.

Somehow the monsoons are not as much fun as they used to be. With so much construction all over the city, water does not find its own level very easily; and when it does, it is in the middle of that road you want to walk across. Building traffic dividers across some of the bigger roads has stopped the free flow of water into the storm water drains or the canals that would empty them into the Bay of Bengal, eventually. The water stays, obeying the rules, to the side of the road that it has fallen on, doing no good to anyone, waiting for the next spell of sunshine to change it into mud, before evaporating away completely.

A couple of months ago, there was a report that nearly 4 million recharge structures were to be built to harvest the monsoon run-off waters. Surely Chennai city will need a significant proportion of those!