The receding rain may pave the way for winter this January. File
The Northeast monsoon has retreated over the State, Puducherry and Karaikal on Thursday, announced India Meteorological Department. This would lead to a prolonged dry weather over the State till January 18.
Though IMD defined NE monsoon rainfall between October and December, the monsoon rainfall has spilled over to January during many years in the past too. Light to moderate easterlies/northeasterlies would continue to prevail over the region.
The receding rain may pave way for winter this January considered the coldest month of the year. The department has predicted minimum temperature to dip two or three degree Celsius below normal in isolated places of interior Tamil Nadu and possibility of mist or haze in one or two places of the State and Puducherry during early morning hours on Friday.
One or two places in Nilgiris district may experience ground frost on Friday.
The minimum temperature dropped below normal in several places on Thursday. Namakkal experienced the coolest temperature of 13 degree Celsius followed by Salem (14.6 degree Celsius). Among the hilly terrain, Udhagamandalam and Valparai registered the lowest minimum temperature of 4 degree Celsius.
The department has forecast that Chennai may experience a minimum temperature of 20 degree Celsius on Friday.
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