Coimbatore has been experiencing an abnormal rise in temperature for the past few weeks with the mercury rising up to 37.8 degrees Celsius. According to the Agro Climate Research Centre in the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, the mercury has been oscillating between 36.5 and 37.5 degrees Celsius, which is slightly more than the average summer temperature.

S. Panneerselvam, Head and Professor at of the Department of Meteorology, said that the mercury is expected to reach more than 38 degrees Celsius.

“The sky is clear of clouds allowing radiation to enter the surface for more than ten hours a day without interruption, which has increased the soil temperature. This has resulted in warm nights. The average night temperature is usually 22-23 degrees Celsius. But now the temperatures are oscillating between 24.5 and 25 degrees,” he said.

However, temperatures are expected to reduce once the South West Monsoon kicks in. “The South West Monsoon occurs between April and May is expected to bring in 130 mm of rain, which would decrease the temperature slightly,” said Panneerselvam.