CHENNAI: After days of heat-wave-like conditions, Chennai woke up to an unusual change in weather on Saturday, with cloudy skies and strong gusty winds.
Notably, reports of a sandstorm along the city’s iconic Marina beach brought dramatic relief from soaring temperatures.
The regional meteorological centre had forecast maximum temperatures of around 40–41 degrees Celsius for the city. However, the sudden shift in wind pattern and extensive cloud cover kept temperatures significantly lower through the day, offering respite to residents struggling through one of the hottest spells of the season.
The sudden transformation also caught the attention of beachgoers and fishermen, particularly along Marina beach, where strong winds whipped up sand across the shoreline during the morning hours.
K Bharati, a fisherman from Nochikuppam, said rough sea conditions and powerful winds created difficult conditions near the coast.
“Two boats capsised in the near-shore waters while returning from fishing. Fortunately, nobody was injured. This is very rare. Winds were extremely strong, and the sea was rough during the morning hours,” he said.
According to V R Durai, head of the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC), Chennai’s unusual weather was caused by a combination of atmospheric systems over the Bay of Bengal and the Andhra Pradesh coast that altered the prevailing wind flow over north Tamil Nadu.
Explaining the sudden change, Durai said a low-level circulation over the central Bay of Bengal at around 700 hPa interacted with a north-south trough extending along coastal Andhra Pradesh.
“This system enhanced low-level wind convergence near the north Tamil Nadu coast and changed the prevailing dry northwesterly winds to moist onshore winds from the Bay of Bengal,” he said.
Durai noted that an early and unusually strong sea breeze played a key role in changing weather conditions over the city.
“Strong onshore winds of around 25–30 kmph developed between 8 am and 10 am. These moist marine winds transported significant moisture inland over Chennai and adjoining areas, leading to widespread low and mid-level cloud formation,” he explained.
Wind speeds of nearly 30 kmph were recorded at Meenambakkam during the morning hours.
The enhanced moisture, cloud cover and persistent onshore flow increased humidity levels and moderated daytime temperatures across the city.
Meteorologists also said isolated light showers or drizzle may occur in some parts of Chennai due to localised convection under the moist atmospheric conditions.
