Summer is here and soaring mercury levels are proof. In its latest bulletin, Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), has advised residents and farmers in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai, Trichy, Karur, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Virudhunagar, Thiruttani and Vellore districts avoid spending time outside or working in open fields between 11.30 am and 3.30 pm for the next two days. This is due to temperatures predicted to hit the 40-degree Celsius mark in these regions in the coming days.
As for Chennai, the state’s capital city, mornings are expected to be cloudy, and evenings, clear with maximum and minimum temperatures predicted to be around 35 and 26 degrees Celsius respectively.
The heat waves are likely to cause rainfall in some parts of the state. Thunderstorms with lightning are likely to occur in some parts of Tamil Nadu between April 17 and April 21. Light to moderate rain is expected to occur over isolated places in Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Theni and Virudhunagar districts of Tamil Nadu on Friday and Saturday. Light rains are expected to continue over isolated parts in south Tamil Nadu between April 19 and 21.
The rest of the state will experience dry weather and this includes Puducherry and Karaikal.
Between April 1 and April 16, the city of Chennai has recorded good summer showers, recording an increase of 108% from its usual measure during the said period. While Chennai’s normal amount of rainfall is 8.8 mm between April 1 and 16, the city has recorded 18.3 mm this time.
Perambalur tops the chart with respect to unexpected summer showers, recording 73.3 mm against its usual 22.1 mm. This is a departure of 231%. Vellore, Tiruvallur and Coimbatore join the list with positive departures from normal recording 20.3 mm, 19 mm and 74.3 mm respectively. On April 17, Sivalogam in Kanyakumari district recorded three cms rainfall, the highest in the state.
Districts like Cuddalore, Karaikal, Nagapattinam, Thiruvannamalai, Thiruvarur have not recorded any rainfall.