Chennai: With Fani failing to provide much-needed rain and bring down temperatures in Chennai, a severe heat wave has engulfed the city.
The mercury breached the 40-degree mark at Meenambakkam weather station and the temperature is expected to be above normal for the next few days.
Weather stations in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recorded 38.6 degree Celsius and 41.2 degree Celsius respectively, nearly 3 degree Celsius above normal of May average. But the weather today was slightly better in the city and the suburbs compared to yesterday due to cloudy conditions.
City-dwellers were expecting Cyclone Fani to hit the State and bring rain to parched reservoirs.
However, the weather in the southern peninsula, including Tamilnadu, became dry as Fani, which developed over southeast Bay of Bengal and moved in a north/northwesterly direction, sucked away the humidity in the southern parts.
To add to the woes, peak summer or Agni Natchathiram (Kathiri Veyil) – as it is locally known – set in in Chennai and will last till 28 May. Due to Kathiri, temperatures soared higher in the city.
The Indian Meteorological Department has said heat wave condition is likely to occur in a few places in Tamilnadu.
“The sky condition is likely to be generally cloudy. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 39 and 29 deg Celsius, respectively,” according to a weather report bulletin from the Regional Meteorological Centre, duty officer D M Nedunchezhian said.
Late onset of sea breeze
Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai, Director, N Puviarasan, said sea breeze may bring in respite from scorching weather for the coastal region. However, strong north and northwest winds prevailing over the city would prevent the sea breeze from setting in on time. This leads to a spike in temperature by noon, he pointed out.