CHENNAI: Chennaites are experiencing their best weekend. Mercury dipped over seven degrees below normal on Saturday, with overcast conditions prevailing for most part of the day. The day started with a mild drizzle and it persisted. The average maximum temperature for the month of August is 34.4 degrees Celsius and the temperature this August has been consistently between 37-38 degrees, although there were evening rains daily.
But on Saturday, Nungambakkam weather station recorded a maximum temperature of 27.1 degrees Celsius, which is 7.3 degrees below normal and Meenambakkam registered 27.8 degrees Celsius, which is 6.8 degrees below normal. The dip which started Friday and Saturday saw a further downward slide. S Balachandran, Deputy Director-General of Meteorology (DDGM), Regional Meteorological Centre, told Express that a low pressure is brewing over northwest Bay of Bengal and the upper air circulation over south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts is influencing the weather here.
“Sky may get clearer on Sunday, but it would be another below-normal temperature day,” he said. Weather blogger Pradeep John said the low pressure is likely to form over northwest Bay of Bengal in the next two days, which means the Western Ghats belt would be battered again. More rain is expected in the already flooded regions in Kerala.