CHENNAI: For the second time this month, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of high temperatures with the mercury having begun to soar several degrees above normal in coastal and interior districts of the State. The warning is valid till Sunday and may be extended.
“Maximum temperature is likely to be 2-3 degrees Celsius above normal at a few places over interior Tamil Nadu (Vellore, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Tiruchirapalli, Perambalaur, Karur and Dindigul districts) and 3-5 degrees higher in Tiruvallur district,” IMD said.
The forecast for the next two weeks on weather systems and associated precipitation and temperature pattern between March 15-28, says the easterly wave activity is likely to remain subdued and hence isolated rain/ thundershowers resulting from meso-scale convection alone, are likely over south Tamil Nadu, Kerala and south interior Karnataka.
“The forecast flow patterns and temperature anomalies suggest that no major ‘heat wave situation’ is likely to develop over India, however, coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, north Kerala, Karnataka, Konkan, Goa and Gujarat are likely to experience above normal day temperatures ( 2-3 degrees more than the climatological average) on most of the days except during March 20-23 when they could fall to the near normal range, the IMD bulletin said.
On Friday, Nungambakkam weather station recorded 34 degrees and Meenambakkam in suburbs was a little hotter at 35.1 degrees, 1.4 and 1.8 degrees above normal, respectively. Thiruthani was the hottest with 38.4 degree Celsius.