Evening rain brings relief from heat and slows traffic in Guindy and Chennai
Sharp evening thundershowers lashed parts of Chennai, including Guindy, on Thursday evening, bringing brief relief to residents after a sweltering July day. The sudden downpour slowed down vehicular movement in several key areas of the city but helped cool temperatures down significantly.
While there were no major traffic snarls reported, the rain caused vehicular movement to slow down in Guindy, Koyambedu, Ambattur, and Anna Salai during the evening hours.
According to weather data, rainfall levels varied across the region. Automatic Weather Stations recorded 18.5 mm of rainfall at Nungambakkam, while the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University station at Madhavaram logged 20 mm.
Suburban areas experienced heavier localized showers. Villivakkam received 28 mm of rain, followed by Sathyabama University with 25 mm, Poonamallee with 22.5 mm, and Chembarambakkam with 21 mm.
Meteorologists stated that the rainfall was triggered by low-level wind convergence over north coastal Tamil Nadu. Moist southeasterly winds from the Bay of Bengal met southwesterly winds from inland Tamil Nadu. This convergence, combined with intense daytime heating, spurred upward motion that led to the rapid development of cumulonimbus clouds and thunderstorms.
Wind data from Chennai Airport showed a sudden shift around 6 p.m. The steady onshore flow of 24 to 28 kmph shifted to a gust front moving in at 18 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 37 kmph. This was accompanied by a sharp temperature drop from 38°C to 27°C.
Before the showers, Chennai had experienced another hot day. By 5:30 p.m., Chennai Airport had recorded a maximum temperature of 38.5°C, while Nungambakkam registered 37.8°C. Elsewhere in the state, Madurai Airport remained the hottest station at 41.4°C, while Coonoor in the hills recorded 61 mm of rainfall.
The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecast light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning over parts of the city on Friday and Saturday. Maximum temperatures in Chennai are expected to hover between 38°C and 39°C, while minimum temperatures will remain around 29°C to 30°C.
