Record temp in Chennai & Trichy as heat wave grips TN

Record temp in Chennai & Trichy as heat wave grips TN

U.Tejonmayam@timesgroup.com

Chennai:31.03.2021 

The persistent hot and dry land breeze moving into Tamil Nadu set mercury soaring and broke temperature records in Chennai and Trichy on Tuesday. While the Meenambakkam station recorded an all-time high 41.3 deg C, Trichy registered 40.9 deg C, highest at least in the past 50 years. In total, temperatures in six cities and towns crossed 40 deg C on Tuesday.

Weathermen said northwesterly winds or land breeze would continue to move into the state keeping the temperatures high for the next five days.

The IMD has forecast dry weather over Tamil Nadu till April 3. The agency said the maximum temperature is likely to be two to three degrees Celsius above normal at isolated places over north Tamil Nadu on April 2 and 3.

N Puviarasan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD, said the presence of two systems over Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal has caused the change in wind direction bringing hot land breeze into the state.

On Tuesday, Vellore recorded 41.3 deg C, Tiruthani 41 deg C, Trichy 40.9 deg C, Madurai AP 40.5 deg C and Karur Paramathi 40.2 deg C.

Trichy had recorded 40.6 deg C on March 27, 2001, and 40.6 deg C on March 21, 1991. The all-time high is 42.2 deg C on March 26, 1892.

“Trichy’s 40.8 deg C is the highest at least since 1962,” said weather blogger Pradeep John.