Some parts may see 450C at start of May
CHENNAI: While temperatures are soaring above normal level across the State for the past two months, intense heat wave is expected in many places of north interior Tamil Nadu for the next few days.
The meteorological department on Friday has issued yellow warning predicting heat wave conditions over a few places. Additionally, there is a possibility for maximum temperature to record above 45-degree Celsius in the first week of May in various parts of the State.
“As the heat wave conditions are likely to prevail at isolated pockets over north interior Tamil Nadu. While the maximum temperature is likely to record surge past 45 degrees, the drastic surge in the mercury level is not abnormal. The State had recorded 45 degrees around a decade ago,” a senior RMC official told DT Next.
Similarly, an independent weather blogger K Srikanth commented that according to ICON, the maximum temperature on May 1 is expected to exceed 46 degrees across most parts of Tamil Nadu.
“Except for a small patch to the northwest of Chennai over Tiruvallur district, the maximum temperature
is likely to hover around 40-42 degrees in most interior places. It indicates that closer to the coast makes humidity more unbearable compared to the dry continent elsewhere in the country,” he added.
A trough/wind discontinuity from Marathwada and adjoining Madhya Maharashtra to north coastal Tamil Nadu now runs from Marathwada to north Tamil Nadu across interior Karnataka and extends upto 1.5 km above mean sea level. Under its influence, the dry weather is likely to prevail in the State. The maximum temperature is likely to be 3-5 degrees above normal at a few pockets over the north interior Tamil Nadu and it’s likely to be 39-42 degrees for the next few days.
The Regional Meteorological Centre predicted light rain over western ghats districts, Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli from April 30 to May 2 due to cyclonic circulation likely to prevail over the sea from next week.
While the maximum temperature is likely to record reach above 45o C, the drastic surge in the mercury level is not abnormal. The State had recorded 45oC around a decade ago
— A senior RMC official