In what may come as a relief for the residents of Chennai, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light to moderate rains for the city over the next two days, April 14 and 15. The sky condition is likely to be generally cloudy and thunderstorms with lightning with light to moderate rain are likely to occur, the IMD said in a release on Wednesday. The maximum and minimum temperature in Chennai over the next 48 hours will be around 32˚C and 24˚C, respectively, the release added. On Wednesday at 8.30 am, Nungambakkam in Chennai recorded a maximum temperature of 34.4ºC and Meenambakkam recorded 35.5ºC. The minimum temperatures on Wednesday in the two areas were 28.3ºC and 27.2ºC respectively. Many Chennai residents took to social media on Wednesday to share pictures of skies overcast with dark grey clouds.
Meanwhile, the IMD has predicted thunderstorms with lightning over other parts of Tamil Nadu as well, including the coastal districts, Puducherry and Karaikal. “Thunderstorm with lightning and associated gusty winds with speed reaching 30-40 kmph with moderate rain is likely to occur at a few places over interior districts of Tamil Nadu and thunderstorm with lightning and associated gusty winds with speed reaching 30-40 kmph with light to moderate rain is likely to occur at a few places over coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal,” the bulletin said. On April 16, thunderstorms with lightning and moderate rain are likely to occur at a few places over Western Ghat districts, south and interior Tamil Nadu. Dry weather is likely to prevail over the rest of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal.
On April 14, IMD has said that heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thenkasi, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Dindigul, Salem, Dharmapuri and Tiruvannamalai districts of Tamil Nadu. On April 15, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Dindigul, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Tirupattur districts. On April 16, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Dindigul, Salem and Thenkasi districts.