CHENNAI: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has now forecast light to moderate rain at isolated places, along with thunderstorms and lightning at one or two locations, over the Western Ghat districts and southern Tamil Nadu on Monday (April 6).
Deputy director general of RMC Chennai, VR Durai, explained that light to moderate rain may occur under the influence of the merging of two troughs-one extending from the upper-air cyclonic circulation near Rayalaseema to the Gulf of Mannar, and another from Marathwada to south Tamil Nadu across interior Karnataka at 0.9 km above mean sea level.
Heavy rain is likely in isolated areas of the Ghat regions in Virudhunagar, Dindigul, and Theni districts on Monday. Dry weather is expected to prevail across the rest of Tamil Nadu until March 10.
As heat continues across the state, isolated parts of north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal may experience a rise in maximum temperature by 2-3°C above normal, with near-normal temperatures in south Tamil Nadu until April 7.
According to 24-hour data released by the RMC on Sunday, the highest rainfall was recorded in Pannaipuram in Theni at 8 cm, followed by 7 cm in Oothu and Naalumukku in Tirunelveli, and 5 cm in Pennai Aanai in Vellore. The lowest rainfall, 1 cm, was recorded in Kallakudi in Tiruchirappalli.
For Monday, Chennai is predicted to see a maximum temperature of around 38°C and a minimum of around 28°C. Thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching 30-40 km/h are likely at one or two places across Tamil Nadu.
On Sunday, Vellore recorded the highest maximum temperature in the state at 40.3°C, while Salem saw the lowest minimum temperature in the plains at 23.1°C.