CHENNAI: If the days had been hot and humid this week, the nights had been equally sweaty and warm. And going by the weatherman's forecast, city residents may have to put up with more such warmer nights with temperatures touching 30 degrees Celsius. Bloggers said there are chances of rainfall in the city next week which may bring down both day and night temperatures.
For the next 48 hours, IMD has forecast thunderstorms with light to moderate rain likely to occur in some areas of the city and the suburbs. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 39-40˚C and 29-30˚C while the skies may be partly cloudy.
Meteorologists said the nights are warmer due to the persistent flow of dry and warm westerlies or winds from the land into the city through the night. On Thursday, IMD recorded 30 deg C and 29 deg C in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam stations just before sunrise, which were 2.2 and 1.3 degrees above normal.
“The sea breeze makes its entry by later afternoon or evening and by 7pm or 8pm, the westerlies are back,” an official said. Meenambakkam registers minimum temperatures lower than Nungambakkam as westerlies move over the land towards the sea.
The lowest minimum temperatures recorded between 2012 and 2021 were between 23 deg C and 25.4 deg C. The all-time record was 20.6 deg C recorded on June 16, 1909.
Blogger Pradeep John said temperatures may drop by mid next week as the city has chances of receiving some rainfall. “Both day and night temperatures may drop. But if the nights are cloudy, it may become warm as the heat absorbed by the land during the day may get trapped in the land,” he said.
