Over the next few days, city residents may have to brace themselves for nippy weather and reach out for scarves and mufflers as night-time temperatures are set to dip.
Motorists travelling late at night said they experienced abnormally chilly winds the past few days. On Tuesday, the minimum temperature in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam dipped to 19.7 degrees Celsius and 18.3 degrees Celsius. This is the second lowest temperature recorded in the city so far this month.
Monday’s cold night was harsh on the homeless at Chetpet railway station. People used flex material used in advertisement hoardings as blankets for cover from the chill.
Commuters travelling in late-evening suburban trains switched off ceiling fans and pulled down the windows, but there was no escape from the cold breeze. Drivers of Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses were seen wrapped in woollen shawls or thick cotton towels to keep themselves warm during night shift.
Several people said they delayed early-morning walks as it was chilly even at 7.30 a.m. Though the sun shone bright during the day, there was still a slight nip in the air.
Officials of the meteorological department said the night temperature dropped as low as 19 degrees Celsius in Nungambakkam and 17.9 degree Celsius in Meenambakkam on January 10.
Nights were bound to get chillier as cold, dry northerly winds blew from the land, said an official. There was no moisture at all the past few days and clear skies also led to chilly weather.
If a trough over the South Andaman Sea moved towards the Tamil Nadu coast, there was chance for mild rains in the coastal districts, around January 17, the official said.
Until then, Chennai will experience fog/mist in some areas, particularly on Bhogi day. While the maximum temperature will be around 29 degrees Celsius, the minimum will hover around 21 degrees Celsius till Thursday.
(With additional reporting by K. Manikandan)
