Tamil Nadu: Max temp to increase, heat wave warning issued for some areas

Chennai: The Indian Meteorological Department on Wednesday put out a bulletin stating that the maximum temperatures in the state were likely to rise by 2-3 degrees this summer.

They also issued a heat wave warning for isolated places in Tamil Nadu on March 6 and 7, caused by the rise in temperature.  The heat wave will occur over isolated places in interior Tamil Nadu in districts like Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Namakkal, Salem, Karur, Dindigul, Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore. Tiruvallur district of coastal Tamil Nadu is likely to experience the heat wave, too.

 Weather blogger Pradeep John, popularly known as Tamil Nadu Weatherman,  said that the spike in temperatures was due to offshore winds and an increase in the land breeze. "First 40 degree of the year in interior Tamil Nadu can be expected in the next five days," he wrote. "Many interior districts such as Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Salem, Villupuram, Madurai, Karur, Namakkal, Trichy all expected to record close to 40. Chennai - will not get 40 degrees  - Temperatures will remain around 34-36 degrees which will make it the hottest day of the year."

He enlisted the reasons for the rise in temperature, requesting the people not to confuse it with global warming. "1. Strong Offshore winds - It makes sure easterlies/sea breeze does not come into the land to cool the temperature. 2. Land breeze - You can see westerlies in the land as it will carry hot winds from one area to another. 3. North Western winds - It travels over a lot of land area and transports all the hot air once it reaches Maharashtra - Karnataka and Rayalaseema," he wrote.

Pradeep also observed that any particular region is likely to experience heat wave only when its maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degrees for the plains and 30 degrees for hilly regions.