Many interior parts of the State will continue to swelter under heat wave conditions on Tuesday too, with the mercury level predicted to hover above the 40 degree mark.
On Monday, the mercury level peaked to 44 degrees Celsius in places like Vellore and Tiruttani. Several other places such as Karur, Tiruchi and Madurai too have been experiencing blistering heat as the day temperature has been consistently touching 40 degrees Celsius.
Residents in Chennai’s suburbs have also been feeling the heat with the weather station in Meenambakkam recording maximum temperature above 40 degrees Celsius on many days. On Monday, Meenambakkam recorded 39.4 degrees Celsius and Nungambakkam registered 35.4 degrees Celsius.
Officials of the Meteorological Department said the same trend will continue for two more days. The department has issued a heat wave warning for places in northwest Tamil Nadu like Vellore, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Salem on Tuesday. S. Balachandran, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said a trough passing through Tamil Nadu will influence westerly winds and lead to searing heat in northwestern parts of the State. “Some districts like Villupuram and Salem had a brief respite as thunderstorms occured during evenings. Timely onset of sea breeze saved coastal areas like Chennai from peaking temperature and the mercury level touched 39.7 degree Celsius only on April 16. The same weather pattern is likely to continue for two more days,” he said.
Lack of cloud cover
Y.E.A.Raj, former deputy director general of meteorology, noted that lack of thundershowers and cloud cover were some of the reasons for the soaring mercury level in interior parts. “Solar insolation without much hindrance also leads to consistently high temperatures. As the summer progresses, interior areas would become slightly cooler due to showers and coastal areas would experience warmer temperature as radiation and impact of westerly winds would be more,” he said.
He recalled that Chennai experienced 10 days last year too and the Meteorological Department had issued heat wave warning for a couple of days. The monthly mean temperature was 35.6 degree Celsius, which is one degree Celsius above average for April.
