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Chennai is getting unusually hot for August. At 37 degrees Celsius, the temperature has remained three degrees above normal since Monday. And the weatherman says it is likely to remain so for a couple more days.

While it is not the highest in the last couple of years, it has exceeded the highest maximum temperature registered in 2010 by 0.1 degrees Celsius. “For a couple of weeks, the weather was very pleasant. Then it started getting humid and now it is hot. It is becoming uncomfortable to venture out,” said homemaker Theresa Nathan.

Meteorologists blame the scanty rainfall for the increase in temperature. “The monsoon is strong in the northern states. This has created a clear sky in the city. These days sea breeze sets in only after 3pm, resulting in an increase in temperature. If it rains for a few days, the mercury will drop, but now it looks like the condition might continue for a few more days,” said deputy general of meteorology Y E A Raj.

Meteorologists said the rise in temperature could also be attributed to the slight decrease in rainfall during the last two weeks.

Areas like Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Erode and Salem have seen deficient rainfall (-20% to -59%), while places like Vellore, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Pudukottai, Trichy, Madurai and Ramanathapuram had scanty rainfall (-60% or less) during the first week of August.

During July 27-August 3, the state received scanty rainfall with a 70% departure from normal, while Chennai received 18.7mm of rainfall, a -30% departure from normal. Chennai_Extended_Summer.jpg

Power outages, which have returned, adds to the residents’ misery. “I was pleasantly surprised that there was no scheduled power cut last week. But today it began again,” said Prem Kumar, a resident of Alandur.

Tender coconut sellers are still making a brisk business at bus stops and street corners. Several people avoid outings during afternoon, but there is a good flow of people into the shopping malls and cinema theatres in the weekends.

Some like Sumod Varghese, a resident from Chetpet, find occasional respite from the heat in air-conditioned ATM centres.

- times of india