CHENNAI: Dog days this summer are turning out be unbearable as the heatwave is intensifying and threatening to create new records.
On Thursday, the Nungambakkam station clocked 42.6 degree Celsius, making it Chennai’s hottest day in the last three years.
Thursday’s level was 0.2 degree C short of 2014’s record of 42.8 C, which happened on May 24. And Met department officials say the worst is far from over.
The interior parts of the city had to battle more severe weather. The Chennai airport (Meenambakkam) station recorded 43.6 C, which was the hottest in the last 15 years – it was on May 30, 2003 when the station recorded 44.6 C.
K Balachandran, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, told Express that the heatwave would continue and there would be no respite unless there is a change in wind pattern.
“This condition will continue. The strong north westerly winds coming inside along with dry winds are contributing to the severe heatwave. Sometime the humidity during morning is going below 27 per cent. Sea breeze is just not strong enough to nullify the effect. Unless there is a change in atmospheric conditions like wind pattern, there would be no respite,” he explained.
The official also advised the public to take general precautions from getting directly exposed to the sun for longer duration.
The Met department issued heatwave warnings to Puducherry and 23 districts of North Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Erode, Karur, Tiruchirapalli, Ariyalur, Perambalur.
Besides, coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and parts of Telangana and Rayalaseema are under the grip of severe heatwave where temperatures have breached 46 C.
Y E A Raj, former deputy director general of meteorology, said the temperature has starting soaring as early as 9.30 am. “Though the sea breeze has set in early at 11.45 am itself, the north westerly winds were simply too strong and the temperature increased rapidly before noon. This phenomenon is usually observed during second half of May,” he pointed out.
Pradeep John, noted weather blogger, said Friday may even be worse.
“Though, Vellore, Salem and parts of Tiruchy are receiving good convective rainfall, it may not have any cooling affect on Chennai temperature. The heatwave may even extend beyond this week.”