Southern districts in Tamil Nadu begin to feel the heat

The residents of Madurai and Tirunelveli have been sweating in the daytime and feeling sultry at nights for the last few days.

Is the date with cool days and chill nights over for the people of southern districts?

For, the residents of Madurai and Tirunelveli have been sweating in the daytime and feeling sultry at nights for the last few days.

In the last two days, the maximum and minimum temperatures registered in Madurai airport has seen a quantum jump.

The maximum temperature that had been hovering around 33.4 degree Celsius to 34.8 degrees between February 12 and 17, suddenly touched 36.7 degrees on Monday, and stood at 36 degrees on Tuesday.

Similarly, the minimum temperature that was between 20.4 degree Celsius to 23.4 degrees in the same period jumped to 24.8 degrees on Monday and 25.2 degrees on Tuesday. The average maximum temperature for February is 33.2 degree Celsius and the minimum temperature is 21.1 degrees.

However, the city experienced breeze on Tuesday.

Meteorological Department sources said the change in the weather condition was owing to various factors such as a low-level cyclonic circulation at 1.5 km above sea level and an upper-air westerly trough.

People in Palayamkottai too are experiencing a similar weather condition.

Palayamkottai that will be witnessing baking heat between February and September every year, has started experiencing the sweltering heat.

It recorded a maximum temperature of 36 degree Celsius, the highest in the season on Monday. However, the situation improved a bit in the next 24 hours as the maximum temperature came down to 32 degrees on Tuesday, thanks to the partly cloudy sky and mild breeze.

The average maximum temperature of Palayamkottai during February is 32 degree Celsius.

“The monsoon failure for the fifth year in succession and the presence of hard granite just three feet beneath the surface (of earth) are the prime reasons behind the high temperature prevailing here. Moreover, the universal threat of global warming further worsens the climatic condition here,” said D. Seetharam, District Science Officer, Tirunelveli.

Volatile weather

Dindigul district has been witnessing a volatile weather condition for the past one week. The maximum temperature has been hovering between 30 and 33 degree Celsius.

In the first week of February, the temperature stood at 33 degrees. On Tuesday morning, it suddenly dipped to 29 degrees, thanks to minor drizzle. The sky was overcast.

In the afternoon, the temperature further came down to 28 degrees and then further dipped to 26 degrees at 5 p.m.

The average maximum temperature experienced in the district during February is 33 degrees and the minimum temperature is 22 degrees.