Tamil Nadu weather today: Rain, thunderstorms likely; Check forecast

Chennai: Tamil Nadu is set to witness a mix of rising heat and scattered rainfall activity from today, with the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) indicating light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms in select regions even as temperatures remain above normal.

A trough extending at about 0.9 km above mean sea level from interior Tamil Nadu to central Konkan via interior Karnataka is currently influencing weather conditions across the state.

Under its impact, light to moderate rainfall with thundershowers is likely at one or two places in south coastal Tamil Nadu and along the Western Ghats on April 3, while most other parts of the state, including Puducherry and Karaikal, are expected to remain dry.

Rain activity to expand across state

Rainfall activity is expected to continue in similar regions on April 4, particularly over the Western Ghats districts and south Tamil Nadu.

From April 5 and 6, the spread of rainfall is likely to increase, with a few places across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal expected to receive light to moderate showers accompanied by thunderstorms.

The weather pattern is likely to persist on April 7, with rainfall expected in coastal districts and Western Ghats regions, and continue into April 8 with light to moderate rain likely at a few places across the state.

Despite this, several interior districts may continue to experience largely dry conditions intermittently.

Temperatures to rise despite scattered showers

Even as rainfall is forecast in parts of the state, the broader trend points to intensifying heat. The hot season, which began affecting Tamil Nadu in March, is expected to strengthen further in the coming days.

Maximum temperatures are likely to remain above normal and gradually increase between April 2 and April 6, with no significant drop expected due to the limited and scattered nature of rainfall.

The heat is likely to persist from morning to evening across many districts, contributing to discomfort.

In Chennai, skies are expected to remain partly cloudy. Maximum temperatures are likely to range between 36 and 37 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures may hover around 25 to 26 degrees Celsius over the next couple of days.

The Meteorological Department has also stated that no warnings have been issued for fishermen operating in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, as well as in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.

Overall, Tamil Nadu is expected to experience a combination of above-normal temperatures and intermittent rainfall through the first week of April, with thunderstorms offering only brief respite from the prevailing heat.