CHENNAI: An unusual heat wave like condition is prevailing in Chennai with a temperature of 4.3 degree Celsius above normal. On March 6, the Meenambakkam weather station near Chennai airport recorded 37.7 C, which is the hottest day of 2025 so far.
Weather blogger K Srikanth said it is also the highest temperature recorded as of March 6 since the year 2000. Also, it is the 3rd earliest instance of Meenambakkam touching 37 C in a calendar year since 1985. 2009 saw 37 C by March 1 and 1985 saw by March 3.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has declared this year's February as the hottest in India in the last 125 years. The IMD report also forecasted that during March to May season 2025, above-normal number of heatwave days are likely over most parts of the country.
“Above-normal heatwave days are expected over most parts of the country, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu during March 2025,” reads the report.
Meenambakkam recorded a temperature of 37.7°C on Thursday, exceeding its normal of 33.4°C by 4.3 degrees. Similarly, the Nungambakkam station, located closer to the coast, registered 36.4°C, surpassing its usual 32.8°C by 3.6 degrees. Erode recorded the highest temperature in the state at 39.2°C. Except for Thoothukudi, all weather stations across Tamil Nadu reported above-normal temperatures.
The regional meteorological centre in its forecast says dry weather is likely to prevail till March 10 before thunderstorm activity brings light to moderate rains offering some respite. Until then, maximum temperature will be 2-3 degrees above normal.
K. J. Ramesh, former director of IMD, stated that summer has arrived early, which was expected given that last year’s average temperature for all months was nearly 1.5°C above normal. "Before COP28 in September, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) warned that 2025 would be even hotter due to the continuous heating of the Earth. However, our government failed to take any precautionary measures. At the very least, board exams should have been scheduled earlier. The State board exams are set for April, and children are among the most vulnerable to extreme heat. Schools should consider concluding exams by 10 a.m. to mitigate the risk," he said.
It's not just Tamil Nadu—most cities across the southern peninsula are grappling with intense heat. Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and northern Karnataka are all witnessing temperatures above normal levels.