Chennai: Heat wave prevailed in Chennai on Monday as temperatures rose to five degrees above normal for the season. Weather department officials forecast a similar phenomenon in northern districts during the next two days. According to the data from the Regional Meteorological Centre, Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam noted 39.7 and 41.3 degrees Celsius, accounting to a departure of 5.2 and 5.6 degrees from the normal temperature.

“Initially, the maximum temperatures were due to the re-curve activity of Cyclone Marutha, which had its landfall at Myanmar. Moisture less westerly winds from Andhra towards the Northern Tamil Nadu region is the reason for the heat wave situation,” said S. Balachandran, director of the Regional Meteorological Centre.

“While the departure from the normal is expected to be up at five degrees in northern districts, it would be two to three degrees more in South Tamil Nadu,” he added. “The situation would be same for the next two days. Sea breeze had set in at noon, due to which Nungambakkam station had not crossed 40 degree mark,” said weather blogger, S. Chandramouli.