In what seems to be an early onset of the sizzling summer, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday morning issued a heat wave warning for isolated places in Tamil Nadu on March 6 and 7.

The bulletin from IMD states that maximum temperatures are likely to rise by about 2-3°C over many parts of south peninsular India from Tuesday, thereby resulting in heat wave over isolated areas.

The heat wave will occur over isolated places in interior Tamil Nadu in districts like Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Namakkal, Salem, Karur, Dindigul, Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore. Tiruvallur district of coastal Tamil Nadu too, is likely to experience heat wave. IMD predicts that maximum temperature is likely to rise by 2°C in these areas.

On Tuesday, Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu recorded a maximum temperature of 40.1°C in the state, while Vellore came a close second with 39.2°C . The highest temperature in March that was recorded in Vellore last year stood at 38.4°C. Interestingly, the district reached its highest temperature for the month only towards the end, on March 24 and never this early.

Popular weather blogger Pradeep John, who goes by the name TN Weatherman, observed on social media that temperatures will rise in interior parts of Tamil Nadu as a result of “offshore winds and increase in land breeze".

“First 40°C of the year in interior Tamil Nadu can be expected in the next 5 days,” he writes. Pradeep also lists down possible reasons for the heat wave in the region.

He also adds that any particular region is likely to experience heat wave only when its maximum temperature reaches at least 40°C for the plains and 30°C for hilly regions. Pradeep also notes that while Chennai’s temperature will remain around 34-36°C, it is likely to see the hottest day of the year.