Chennai and its suburban areas may find a welcome reprieve from the escalating summer heat as a low-pressure area, forming over the Bay of Bengal on Monday morning, holds the promise of much-needed rainfall.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued forecasts indicating the likelihood of heavy rainfall in several southern and delta districts, with anticipation of light rainfall extending to Chennai and its outskirts starting Tuesday. This potential for precipitation offers a glimmer of hope in the face of rising temperatures and increasing discomfort across the region, with possible rain activity persisting across the state until April 13th. The nascent weather system, which materialized over the central parts of the south Bay of Bengal at 8:30 am on Monday, is projected to track northwestwards across the southwest Bay of Bengal until April 8th. Subsequently, meteorological models suggest a shift in its trajectory towards a nearly northward movement over the west-central Bay of Bengal during the following 48 hours, as detailed by a senior official at the IMD’s regional meteorological centre.
The immediate impact of this low-pressure system is expected to be felt in the southern and delta regions of Tamil Nadu. For April 8th, the IMD has specifically forecast the possibility of heavy rainfall occurring at isolated locations within districts such as Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai. Looking ahead, the forecast extends the possibility of light to moderate rainfall at isolated places across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal areas from April 9th through April 13th, suggesting a sustained period of potential relief from the dry heat.
For Chennai itself and its encompassing suburbs, Tuesday is expected to bring the possibility of light rainfall over some areas. The anticipated temperature range for the city is a maximum of 35°C to 36°C and a minimum of 27°C to 28°C, with partly cloudy skies providing some intermittent shade. This forecast offers a tangible prospect of a slight easing of the thermal stress experienced by the city’s inhabitants in recent days. However, meteorological experts have also noted that weather models indicate a likely future movement of the low-pressure system towards the Odisha-West Bengal coast. This potential trajectory could subsequently draw winds away from the land, a phenomenon that might lead to a resurgence in temperatures across Tamil Nadu after the initial spell of rainfall. In line with this outlook, an IMD bulletin has cautioned that maximum temperatures are likely to remain 2°C to 3°C above the normal range at isolated pockets across Tamil Nadu until April 10th, indicating that the respite from the heat might be temporary and localized.
On Monday, the city’s primary weather observatories at Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recorded maximum temperatures of 35.5°C and 35.7°C respectively, both registering slightly above-normal readings. Vellore, located inland, reported the highest temperature in the state at 38.6°C, also marginally above its seasonal average. The development of this low-pressure area and the associated rainfall forecast offer a crucial reminder of the dynamic interplay between atmospheric conditions and urban environments. While the immediate relief from summer heat will be welcomed by Chennai’s residents, the longer-term implications of climate change necessitate a continued focus on sustainable urban planning and water management strategies to build resilience against increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. The potential for rainfall also underscores the importance of efficient drainage systems and preparedness for urban flooding, ensuring that the relief brought by rain does not translate into new challenges for the city’s infrastructure and its inhabitants.
Tamil Nadu Coast Expects Heavy Rains
