Election day heat wave: Erode district swelters at 43ºC

Exuberant voters who showed out in big numbers to exercise their right to vote on Friday were much discomforted by the heat wave conditions that swept numerous sections of the state, notably north interior districts. Erode recorded the highest temperature of 43 degrees Celsius on the warmest day of the summer, 5.2 degrees more than average.

On election day, the regional meteorological center warned of a heat wave in the north interior areas and advised citizens to take appropriate precautions.

Vellore (41.90C), Karur (41.50C), Trichy (41.30C), Tiruthani (41.20C), Salem (41.2), Dharmapuri (410C), and Madurai (410C) were the districts with reported temperatures over 410C. The temperature in Chennai was 2-2.7 degrees Celsius, or 38–39 degrees Fahrenheit, above usual.

According to the Met office, there could be a little drop in temperature on Saturday, but no significant shift is expected until April 23. There’s a chance of light to moderate rain, thunderstorms, and lightning in one or two locations across Tamil Nadu’s Western Ghats and surrounding regions. Puducherry and Karaikal, as well as the rest of the state, are most likely to see dry weather.

According to the Met office, the humidity for the next five days is expected to be between 50 and 85 percent in coastal regions and between 30 and 50 percent in the afternoon and 40 to 75 percent across the plains of interior districts.