Tamil Nadu Weather Update: Chennai Temperature May Touch 41°C Today, Rain Relief for Salem & Yercaud?

After hitting 40.0°C on Friday, Chennai's temperature is expected to rise even higher on Sunday, reaching 41°C.

According to weather R Pradeep John (PJ), who is popularly known for his weather interpretations, today Meenambakkam may breach 41C today while rains are expected in a few places.

"Meenambakkam may breach 41C today. Rains likely in and around Salem Yercaud belt, Valparai, Kodaikanal, Theni, Dindigul and Nilgiris. It will be 50-50 for rains in Karur belt which is topping temp charts. Can Vellore top today overtaking Erode or Karur. Let's see," he said in a post on X.

Sevel districts in Tamil Nadu have been boiling due to the heatwave.

In the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on Saturday, maximum temperatures across Tamil Nadu were mostly higher than usual, particularly in the interior plains where they were appreciably above normal.

In isolated pockets of northern interior Tamil Nadu, temperatures were markedly higher than normal, while coastal areas experienced normal to above-normal temperatures. Heatwave conditions were observed in a few pockets of northern interior Tamil Nadu, the Regional Metorological Department (RMD) said.

The Districts With Maximum Temperatures
The highest maximum temperature was recorded in Erode at 43.4°C, marking a deviation of +5.3°C from the norm. Following closely behind were Karur Paramathi at 42.5°C (+5.7°C), Vellore at 42.5°C (+3.3°C), Tiruthani at 42.5°C (+3.3°C), Tirupattur at 42.0°C (+4.1°C), Madurai City at 41.2°C (+3.6°C), Tiruchirappalli_AP at 40.7°C (+2.3°C), Salem at 40.5°C (+2.9°C), Chennai Meenambakkam at 40.2°C (+3.1°C), Dharmapuri at 40.2°C (+3.3°C), Palayamkottai at 40.2°C (+3.1°C), and Madurai_AP at 40.1°C (+2.4°C).

Rainy Days Ahead
However, R Pradeep John has predicted exciting rain days ahead in interior Tamil Nadu in the coming days. Tirupattur, Vellore, Ranipet, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Erode, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Tiruchirapalli, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Sivagangai, Virudhunagar, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, and Thenkasi are classified as interior districts within the state.

Even the RMD has predicted heavy rains for these districts from May 7: Theni, Dindigul, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Erode, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts.