<p>The Northeast monsoon, which brings the bulk of rainfall to Tamil Nadu, has been active for the past fortnight and many parts have been receiving incessant rainfall since Sunday. Most of the water bodies in the state, including the reservoirs meeting the drinking water needs of Chennai, the Mettur Dam in Salem and others are full and excess water is being released from most of them.</p>.<p>The Indian Meteorological Department, on Thursday, said that the depression over the Bay of Bengal would cross the coast between north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh this evening and the city would witness ‘strong’ winds up to 4 km.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/heavy-rains-batter-tamil-nadu-chennai-worst-hit-1049693.html">Heavy rains batter Tamil Nadu, Chennai worst-hit</a></strong></p>.<p>But the question prevails, what has been causing extreme weather conditions in the state?</p>.<p>Climate change could be seen as the main parameter here. The rise in global temperatures has increased the frequency of heavy rains.</p>.<p>GP Sharma, president-meteorology and climate change, Skymet Weather, told The New Indian Express, “The impact of rise in ocean temperature is more than compared to land temperature. This has also increased the shelf life of weather systems, which then tends to travel inland for a longer duration.”</p>.<p>The oceans have been warming at a faster rate, with sea-surface temperatures (SST) rising above average. The New Indian Express <a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2021/nov/11/whats-causing-extreme-weather-in-tamil-nadu-2382034.html">report</a> stated that 26.5 degree Celsius was the threshold value, past which conditions are favourable for rapid intensification of the weather system. SST now stands close to 29 degrees.</p>.<p>“Climate change has led to a rise in SST, resulting in sea level rise by 10 to 15 per cent,” said the news report quoted Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of meteorology, IMD.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/rain-fury-75000-police-personnel-prepared-for-emergency-in-tamil-nadu-1049523.html">Rain fury: 75,000 police personnel prepared for emergency in Tamil Nadu</a></strong></p>.<p>Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune informed TNIE, “An important aspect of climate change for the east coast is that extreme weather and climate events are overlapping. Now, sea level is also rising in the background.”</p>.<p>Meanwhile, as the situation continues to be grim, a total of 75,000 police personnel drawn from local police, armed reserve, Tamil Nadu Special Police and Home Guards have been kept ready in the wake of heavy rains lashing Chennai and adjoining districts.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>The Northeast monsoon, which brings the bulk of rainfall to Tamil Nadu, has been active for the past fortnight and many parts have been receiving incessant rainfall since Sunday. Most of the water bodies in the state, including the reservoirs meeting the drinking water needs of Chennai, the Mettur Dam in Salem and others are full and excess water is being released from most of them.</p>.<p>The Indian Meteorological Department, on Thursday, said that the depression over the Bay of Bengal would cross the coast between north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh this evening and the city would witness ‘strong’ winds up to 4 km.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/heavy-rains-batter-tamil-nadu-chennai-worst-hit-1049693.html">Heavy rains batter Tamil Nadu, Chennai worst-hit</a></strong></p>.<p>But the question prevails, what has been causing extreme weather conditions in the state?</p>.<p>Climate change could be seen as the main parameter here. The rise in global temperatures has increased the frequency of heavy rains.</p>.<p>GP Sharma, president-meteorology and climate change, Skymet Weather, told The New Indian Express, “The impact of rise in ocean temperature is more than compared to land temperature. This has also increased the shelf life of weather systems, which then tends to travel inland for a longer duration.”</p>.<p>The oceans have been warming at a faster rate, with sea-surface temperatures (SST) rising above average. The New Indian Express <a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2021/nov/11/whats-causing-extreme-weather-in-tamil-nadu-2382034.html">report</a> stated that 26.5 degree Celsius was the threshold value, past which conditions are favourable for rapid intensification of the weather system. SST now stands close to 29 degrees.</p>.<p>“Climate change has led to a rise in SST, resulting in sea level rise by 10 to 15 per cent,” said the news report quoted Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of meteorology, IMD.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/rain-fury-75000-police-personnel-prepared-for-emergency-in-tamil-nadu-1049523.html">Rain fury: 75,000 police personnel prepared for emergency in Tamil Nadu</a></strong></p>.<p>Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune informed TNIE, “An important aspect of climate change for the east coast is that extreme weather and climate events are overlapping. Now, sea level is also rising in the background.”</p>.<p>Meanwhile, as the situation continues to be grim, a total of 75,000 police personnel drawn from local police, armed reserve, Tamil Nadu Special Police and Home Guards have been kept ready in the wake of heavy rains lashing Chennai and adjoining districts.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
