CHENNAI: After an intense spell of heatwave, the maximum temperature in many parts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, has dropped below normal. The regional meteorological centre (RMC) on Wednesday said heavy rainfall, due to cyclonic circulation, in interior districts and hilly areas of Nilgiris and Coimbatore will continue till May 11. Thunderstorm, lightning and winds with speed up to 30-40 kmph likely over TN, the RMC said.
Except Karur, Erode and Madurai, the temperature has dropped significantly across TN due to the rainfall. Karur recorded the highest temperature of 41.2°Celsius, which was 4.9°C above normal. But Dharmapuri, which was inching closer to 43°C till last week, recorded 35°C --- about 1.5°C below normal.
Chennai’s Meenambakkam weather station, which was breaching 40°C mark, has clocked below-normal temperature of 37.1°C. P Senthamarai Kannan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said maximum temperature may fall by up to 2°C in next five days over TN, Puducherry and Karaikal region.
‘Temperature to rise in 3rd week of May’
In interior Tamil Nadu, the temperature will generally be 2-3 degrees above normal.
On May 9, heavy rainfall is likely over Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindigul, Karur, Erode, Namakkal and Salem district and it will spread to places like Kallakurichi, Theni, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari during subsequent two days.
In Chennai, the sky condition is likely to be partly cloudy with possibility of light to moderate rainfall. Maximum temperature will be around 35-36 degree Celsius.
In the last 24 hours ending 8.30am on Wednesday, KRP Dam weather station in Krishnagiri and Keelpennathur in Tiruvannamalai received the highest rainfall of 9cm. Till 5.30 pm, Valparai in Coimbatore received 29.8 mm of rainfall. Mahesh Palawat, vice-president, Meteorology and Climate Change, Skymet weather service, said the heatwave spell has ended but the temperature will start to rise again in the third week of May as the current rainfall activity subsides.