Sizzling heat in interior areas may take a break around election day. The India Meteorological Department has forecast scattered rainfall on April 18 in the interior districts, when Tamil Nadu goes to polls.
Officials of the Meteorological Department said districts such as Vellore, Salem, Madurai, Dindigul, Krishnagiri, Perambalur and Karur, which were experiencing oppressive heat, may get a respite from high temperatures from Wednesday. Scattered rainfall would mean that up to 50% of weather stations in these areas have chances of rainfall.
N. Puviarasan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, said interior areas, including Tiruchi and Namakkal, would have to brace for harsh weather till Monday. Searing heat would ease its grip over these districts and few places may get heavy rainfall too.
Light rains
Some of the coastal districts may get light rains around election day. He cited the global weather phenomenon, Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), which brings fluctuations in tropical weather, as the reason for chances of rainfall.
However, dry weather is likely to continue in Chennai and there is less chance for rainfall. The only respite could be lower temperature levels and there may be more cloud cover. On Saturday too, Chennai recorded a maximum temperature of 36 degrees Celsius, which is close to normal for the month.