April’s the cruellest month: Temperature reads low, but heat is high

CHENNAI: The cliché that Chennai has only three seasons, hot, hotter and hottest, is no joke. Though the mercury, hovering around 35C, in the city is recording one of the lowest in maximum temperatures in Tamil Nadu for the month of April, the heat from neighbouring districts in the past few days is making it seem hotter. But residents have to brace up as it is going to be sweltering in the next few weeks.

According to experts, winds blowing from the interior regions, which are recording 40C and above are raising the heat in the coastal city. On Saturday, weather stations in at least six districts including Salem (41C), Dharmapuri (40.2C), Karur (41.2C), Trichy (40.4C), Tiruttani (40.3C) and the neighbouring Vellore (40.7C) recorded big numbers. While several other districts like Coimbatore, Madurai, Namakkal, Palayamkottai and Thanjavur were inching towards 40C, Chennai recorded 35.2C in Nungambakkam and 37.4C in Meenambakkam.

Though the Nungambakkam station has been recording 34C to 35C and temperatures at the Meenambakkam station is around 37C, the days feel way too hot. “Winds are blowing south-westerly. So, the land gets heated up fast. That’s why we feel hotter and there’s discomfort from 10am and by midday, when the sea breeze sets in, it feels better,” said weather blogger Pradeep John. “As you go inland, the temperature is high. Places like Poonamallee has been recording 39C.”

However, as the summer season begins, expect the weather to get worse. “This summer season, heat wave condition will be prominent,” said Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist, Skymet Weather. Pradeep John said that in the month of June, a change in wind direction blowing from the land would increase the level of discomfort for Chennaiites. It would get hot as early as 7am or 8am as the remperature would be touching 40C and above.

But if there’s any solace, then there might be a drop in temperature in the coming days. The regional meterological centre, Chennai, forecasts light to moderate rain likely over isolated places in Tamil Nadu from April 15 to 17.

For the next 48 hours, the sky condition is likely to be partly cloudy during morning and clear thereafter. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 36C and 28C respectively. As for the rest of the state, the maximum temperature is likely to be 2C to 4C above normal at a few places including Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Vellore, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Trichy, Perumbalur, Tirupur, Dindigul and Madurai.