As Tamil Nadu braces for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April 19, voters may encounter challenges due to an impending heat wave forecasted to hit the state starting Thursday. Despite the heat wave, certain areas such as Thoothukudi, Nellai, Thenkasi, Virudhunagar, and parts of Kanyakumari and Ramanathapuram are expected to experience significant rainfall on Monday, as per R Pradeep John, a renowned weather blogger known as Tamil Nadu Weatherman.
According to John, temperatures in Chennai are anticipated to soar to 40°C later in the week, with the Delta region and northern Tamil Nadu likely to experience scorching temperatures, potentially exceeding 42°C in some interior areas. The Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Karur belt may also witness temperatures touching 40°C. The state capital, Chennai, could see its first 40-degree Celsius day around the time of the elections. Interior parts of Chennai may hover around 36°C, while coastal areas may experience temperatures around 35°C initially, but are expected to rise significantly in the following days, affecting several districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Delta, Cuddalore, Pondy, and Kallakuruchi.
The Regional Meteorological Department (RMD) has predicted light to moderate rains in certain areas on April 15, providing some relief from the heat wave. However, dry weather is expected to prevail over the rest of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
During the 24-hour period leading up to 08:30 am today, maximum temperatures across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal remained relatively close to normal. The plains of north interior Tamil Nadu experienced temperatures ranging from 37°C to 39°C, while the north coastal areas and plains of south Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal recorded temperatures between 33°C and 37°C. In hilly areas, temperatures ranged from 19°C to 29°C. Erode recorded the highest maximum temperature at 39.4°C, followed by Salem at 38.6°C. Chennai recorded normal maximum temperatures, providing some respite to residents amidst the looming heat wave.
