Mango showers returned back with a bang as many places in Kerala & Karnataka recorded moderate to intense thunderstorm activity last evening. Even places along the Ghats in Tamil Nadu also recorded intense thunderstorms in a few places. Dohnavur on the foothills of Western Ghats abutting the KMTR recorded a blinding spell of nearly 9 cms in one hour giving an idea of how intense the storms were.
The key reason for the intense thunderstorms around South TN was the moisture incursion created by the weak Easterlies which gave early morning rains along the coast from Thoothukudi to Delta. As the day progressed convective developments along with the wind instability ensure thunderstorms developed all along the western ghats up to South Interior Karnataka.
Today once again wind charts indicate a clear interaction of the dry Northerlies and slightly more moist Easterlies that push the moisture into the Ghats through South TN. Also the development of weak temporary convergence zone over parts of South Interior Karnataka and adjoining parts of Kerala & West Interior TN could bring some moderate to heavy thunderstorm activity over one or two places of interior TN.
On the temperature front interior parts of TN are likely to see temperatures in the region of 37 / 38ºC while isolated places may touch 39ºC. Chennai could see max temperature of around 35ºC while the western suburbs of the city could touch 36ºC