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New Indian Express

Summer takes a back seat in Tamil Nadu: Widespread rain likely till May 20

CHENNAI: The summer heat has eased a little across Tamil Nadu with widespread rains forecast to continue till May 20, bringing a much-needed respite from humid conditions. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has attributed the change in weather to an upper air circulation, which is likely to bring heavy rainfall to north districts and parts of the delta region. Heavy rainfall is likely in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Tirupattur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvallur, and Tiruvannamalai on Saturday. On Sunday, rain is expected to shift to districts including Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchy, Salem, and Kallakurichi. The spell is likely to persist till May 20. Weather conditions are also being influenced by the early advancement of the southwest monsoon, which is expected to trigger systems over both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal - cutting short the summer spell. Chennai, which often sizzles past the 40°C mark in May, has not recorded a single 40°C day so far this year. If the current weather holds, the city might entirely skip breaching the 40°C threshold this summer. Weather blogger Pradeep John described this year as 'one of the most unique' for Tamil Nadu. 'There's been no heatwave so far, and Chennai is unlikely to cross 40°C-similar to 2022, 2018, and 2004,' he said. By the weekend, the upper air circulation is expected to move closer, with easterly winds falling over the north Tamil Nadu and Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chennai, and Chengalpattu region, bringing good rainfall. Meanwhile, the RMC in a post on 'X' said the data till May 15 did not indicate cooler days over Chennai this season. While the mercury did not touch 40°C, temperatures hovered slightly above normal for a few days earlier this month, coupled with high humidity, making conditions uncomfortable during the first half of May. However, the RMC has forecast below-normal maximum temperatures for the coming week, thanks to persistent cloud cover and chances of light to moderate rainfall. On Friday, Erode recorded the highest temperature in the state at 40.2°C.