Chennai sizzles as maximum temperature crosses 40 degrees Celsius

Vellore town recorded a temperature of 41.5 degrees Celsius, becoming the hottest place in Tamil Nadu on Sunday. For Monday, light to moderate rain is likely to occur at one or two places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal areas

Maximum temperatures crossed 40 degrees Celsius in the city on Sunday with the station at Nungambakkam recording 40.7 degrees Celsius and Meenambakkam registering 40.6 degrees Celsius. This is the highest temperature recorded in the city this season, and the Regional Meteorological Centre here has forecast that the maximum temperature was likely to rise gradually by 2-3 degrees Celsius over the next few days.

According to P. Senthamarai Kannan, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai, hot surface winds from West, northwest, cloudless skies and very weak sea breeze were causing an increase in temperatures. “The cyclone has changed the direction of the wind. The atmospheric condition is not very conducive for cloud formation, which has led to cloudless skies and direct sunlight. This condition will remain for a few more days, after which we have to see if the wind patterns change, and there is a possibility of summer rain,” he said.

The hottest place in the State, however, was Vellore, with the town recording 41.5 degrees Celsius, which was followed by Chennai and then by Karur Paramathi, both with 40 degrees Celsius. Along with the northern districts, interior districts like Madurai and Tiruchi too are likely to experience high temperatures. For Monday, light to moderate rain is likely to occur at one or two places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal areas.

For Chennai and its neighbouring districts, the forecast is partly cloudy skies with the maximum temperature likely to be around 39-40 degrees Celsius and minimum temperature likely to be 29-30 degrees Celsius.