Many districts in northern Tamil Nadu are set to experience torrid time for two days as the Met department has warned of an impending heat wave. The day temperature is expected to cross 40-degree Celsius mark.
In Meenambakkam, the maximum temperature touched 42.2 degree Celsius for the second day on Monday. However, sea breeze brought some relief to residents of areas closer to the coast. The weather observatory in Nungambakkam recorded 38.9 degree Celsius on Monday, lower by one degree than the previous day.
Sunday, when the maximum temperature was 39.7 degree Celsius, was the second hottest day in April during the past decade. The temperature had soared to 40.8 degree Celsius on April 28, 2016.
The Meteorological department has warned that the heat wave, when the day temperature soars five to six degree Celsius above normal temperature, would prevail in many districts in Tamil Nadu.
The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Agency had issued a heat wave alert in various districts, including Pudukottai and Karur, asking District Collectors to take necessary action based on the department’s warning. Several district administrations, including in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram, have asked residents to remain indoors between noon and 3 p.m. and avoid direct exposure to the sun.
Cyclone Maarutha
Meteorologists attributed the sudden rise in temperature to ‘Cyclone Maarutha’ that made a landfall in Myanmar and pulled moisture away from the Tamil Nadu region. S. Balachandran, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said while the weather system that has moved away to Myanmar has brought in hot, dry westerlies, warm air advection from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana also contributed in good measure.
“The weather system accelerated the reversal of wind direction. We expect more places in northern Tamil Nadu to experience hot days compared to the southern parts of the State,” he said.
Mr. Balachandran added that the day temperature in Chennai had peaked to 42.8 degree Celsius on April 27, 1908, which is still considered to be the all-time high for April.
Reversal of wind pattern
Weather experts noted that the day temperature in the State begins to increase only around the last week of April when the wind pattern reverses from the easterlies to the westerlies.
Y.E.A. Raj, former deputy director general of meteorology, said there was a possibility of winds reversing to easterlies after a few days and this may bring down the temperature. It takes more time for the earth to cool in places far away from coast.
For instance, Meenambakkam would record a higher temperature because it takes nearly an hour for the sea breeze to reach there.
