Easterlies prevailing over the city may keep Chennai warm during nights for few days before dry weather returns.
A thick blanket of smog hung over the city during the early morning hours on Saturday as easterly winds were not strong enough to clear it, said meteorologists.
Dense smog persisted between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. The visibility level was as low as 50-100 m and flight operations were delayed. “Visibility of at least 400 m is required for arrival or departure of flights at the airport. Smog took time to dissipate as easterly winds were weak,” said S. Stella, Director, Airport Meteorological Office, Meenambakkam. The cool easterlies had prolonged the monsoon effect.
Though the season is defined between October and December for the purpose of data collation, the northeast monsoon has a spillover effect in January. As the trough of low pressure has moved away from Tamil Nadu, the Meteorological Department has announced that the northeast monsoon rain may cease over the State by January 15.
S.B. Thampi, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, said “We expect cessation of rain over the region from January 15 and that would mark the end of the monsoon. The State may have to brace for dry weather that would prolong for more than a week,” he said.
Night temperature over Chennai may also begin to dip below 20 degree Celsius next week.
Weather bloggers like K. Srikanth note that global factors like La Nina also contributed to prolonged the monsoon.
Dull Pongal sales
Copious rain and conducive weather has brought in truckloads of vegetables to Koyambedu wholesale market this Pongal.
However, this did not translate into a spike in sales as supply was more than demand, traders said. Prices of most vegetables, except onions, carrots and drumsticks, fell by nearly 20% at the wholesale market.
P.Sukumar, treasurer, Koyambedu Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers Merchants Welfare Association, said “We usually get only 50 additional trucks for Pongal. But there were not many takers for the abundant supply.” Sales was dull by 25%, he said.
