Chennai: The city has been enduring extreme heat over the past few days, leaving many residents struggling to cope with the high temperatures. On Friday, the city recorded a scorching 36.7 degrees Celsius, and the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has predicted similar conditions for the next two days. Many people took to social media to express their discomfort, as the heatwave shows no signs of letting up.
According to the RMC’s daily weather bulletin, Chennai's sky is expected to remain partly cloudy with the possibility of light to moderate rain in some areas. The maximum temperature is forecasted to hover around 37 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is expected to be around 28 degrees Celsius, offering little relief from the heat.
A yellow alert has been issued by the weather department, warning that the maximum temperature may rise by 2-3 degrees Celsius above normal in certain areas across Tamil Nadu. The alert also cautions residents about hot and uncomfortable weather due to high temperatures and humidity in isolated regions.
The prediction was backed by a popular weather blogger on X (formerly Twitter), who goes by the handle "Chennai Rains." The blogger remarked, “Another hot day ahead for most of Tamil Nadu with temperatures touching 40 degrees Celsius in areas like Madurai. Moderate thunderstorms are likely over parts of the Delta districts in the evening, with a slight chance of isolated rains over Chennai and its suburbs.”
In Tamil Nadu, Madurai recorded the highest temperature on Friday at a sweltering 39.8 degrees Celsius, while Erode saw the lowest minimum temperature at 20 degrees Celsius. Other cities across the state also experienced intense heat, including Karur at 38.5 degrees Celsius, Nagapattinam at 38.8 degrees Celsius, Palayamkottai at 39.5 degrees Celsius, and Tiruchirappalli at 38.7 degrees Celsius.
Despite the soaring temperatures, the RMC has forecasted light to moderate rain in isolated areas across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal on Saturday and Sunday, offering some hope of respite from the heat.