Chennai residents are enduring a spell of hot and humid weather due to an atmospheric disturbance bringing rain to interior Tamil Nadu. The disturbance has altered the wind patterns across the state, leading to increased humidity levels in Chennai.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that the city will continue to experience this weather pattern for at least the next six days. While some parts of neighboring districts, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur, may receive spells of rain, Chennai is unlikely to see significant rainfall during this period.
Bloggers and meteorologists suggest that the familiar evening thunderstorms, which provided a welcome respite from the heat, may return by the end of the week. They attribute the shift in weather to a trough, an elongated area of low pressure, stretching from a cyclonic circulation over Rayalaseema to Comorin areas across Tamil Nadu. This trough has changed the winds to easterlies, increasing the humidity levels in Chennai.
Despite the hot weather, temperatures remain near normal. On Monday, Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recorded 35 degrees Celsius and 34.9 degrees Celsius, respectively. However, the humidity levels lingered between 70% and 80% throughout the day.
The IMD’s regional weather forecasting center director, N Senthamarai Kannan, explained that the trough lines over central Tamil Nadu are responsible for the rainfall in interior areas. He also highlighted that the chance of rain in Chennai remains low for the next five to six days.
For the next 48 hours, the maximum temperature in Chennai and its surrounding areas is expected to hover around 36 degrees Celsius, with a minimum temperature of 27-28 degrees Celsius. The sky will likely be partly cloudy with a possibility of light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning in some areas.
Since June 1, Chennai has received 44 cm of rainfall, which is 72% above normal. Blogger Pradeep John suggests that a potential change in the wind pattern by August 23 could increase the likelihood of evening thunderstorms returning to the city.
