City residents feel the chill as temperature drops

Unusually, residents across the city felt a distinct chill throughout the day.

On Sunday, the maximum temperature in Nungambakkam was 24 degrees Celsius; this was -5.5 degrees Celsius different from the normal temperature of 29.5 degrees Celsius for this time of year. Similarly, Meenambakkam also recorded a maximum temperature of 25.1 degrees Celsius, a deviation of -4.6 degrees Celsius.

Nungambakkam recorded a minimum temperature of 20.7 degrees Celsius and Meenambakkam 21.3 degrees Celsius in the 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Sunday. Nungambakkam recorded 22.6 degrees Celsius at 5.30 pm and 22.9 degrees Celsius at 8.40 pm.

Senior meteorologist YEA Raj said that the incoming radiation decreased due to less sunlight on Sunday. This, combined with cold surface-level winds from the north, may have caused the temperature to drop.

He added that since Chennai is a coastal city, the Bay of Bengal off Chennai does not have high deviations in minimum temperature, unlike inland stations like Vellore, Salem or Tirupattur, as the sea surface temperature remains between 27 degrees Celsius – 28 degrees Celsius.

In the 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Sunday, Madurai City recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the plains at 17.8 degrees Celsius, while Kodaikanal recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the hill districts of the state at 10.9 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) here on Sunday predicts light to moderate rain over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on Monday; Heavy rains are expected to occur at isolated places in Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai and Karaikal district.

Madurai Airport recorded the highest maximum temperature of 32.4 degrees Celsius in the 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Sunday. The low pressure area over south coastal Tamil Nadu and adjacent Gulf of Mannar became less pronounced at 8.30 am on Sunday and the associated cyclonic circulation lay over the same region at 0.9 km above mean sea level.

With the Northeast Monsoon being active in southern Tamil Nadu, rainfall occurred at many places in the southern parts of the state and a few places in northern Tamil Nadu and Karaikal district; Light rain fell over Puducherry.

Rain was recorded in many parts of the state from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm on Sunday. Nilgiris registered 39 mm, Ooty 20 mm, Kodaikanal 11 mm, Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam 4.5 mm, Tenkasi 2.5 mm, Tiruppur 2 mm, Thiruvarur 1.5 mm, Kadavur 1 mm, Ranipet 1 mm, Vellore 0.5 mm, Bodinayakanur 6.5 mm, Karur 1.5 mm, Andipatti 1.5 mm, Grand Anaicut in Thanjavur 0.5 mm.

There was light drizzle at many places in Chennai, including Vadapalani, Chintadripet and Anna Nagar. While Nungambakkam recorded 0.8 mm rainfall, Meenambakkam received trace amounts of rainfall, Ennore port received 0.5 mm rainfall.