CHENNAI: In the middle of sweltering summer days, weathermen have predicted that the city and its suburbs might have chances of receiving thunderstorms with light to moderate rainfall in the next 48 hours.
This is likely due to the flow of westerlies strengthening over the region and causing convection.
Private forecasters and bloggers said that there are chances of rain before the formation of low pressure over the Bay of Bengal on June10.
The IMD has forecast that the sky condition would be partly cloudy, maximum and minimum temperatures maybe around 36°C and 28°C.
The average maximum and minimum temperatures in the city for the month of June are 37°C and 27.5°C.
Maximum temperatures have dropped a degree or two below normal in the last few days but the humidity levels have increased due to the entry of easterlies.
On Saturday, Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recorded 35.1°C and 36.1°C, which were 2.4°C and 1.8°C below normal.
But the humidity levels in both the stations were 76% and 70%.
As for the rainfall, an official said it is because of the strengthening of westerlies and the entry of easterlies likely to cause convection in interior parts of the state during the day.
“The westerlies could push the rain clouds closer to the coast bringing rainfall to the coastal region.
Some convective activity could also happen closer to the coast,” the official said.
Skymet weather, in its online post, said a low pressure may form over the north Bay of Bengal on June10 and intensify into a depression the following day.
“In all probability, the depression will cross the coast on June 12 and be consequential for the onset of monsoon over east India and some central parts,” the private forecaster said.