Chennai: The city and its suburbs on Sunday experienced its hottest day of the year with the mercury touching 36.8C in core areas and 39.2C in the suburbs. Thousands thronged the Marina in a bid to beat the heat.The temperature jumped from 34.3C on Saturday in core areas, hinting that the days would be hotter in April. Though the districts had been boiling under a heat wave in the last few days, the city had moderate weather with the temperature was hovering between 33C and 35C.Private weather blogger Pradeep John said: “Hottest day of the year in Chennai again with Nungambakkam AWS crossing 37C while Meenambakkam is expected to cross 38 C. Vellore region is likely to sizzle. Expecting Tiruttani, the furnace of Tamil Nadu, to touch 41C.”“Sea breeze has reached the city. Outskirts need to wait a little longer,” he said, adding that the temperature in the city’s outskirts could cross 40C.On Sunday, the temperature was at its highest at 11.30am at just below 37C. The temperature dipped to below 35C soon after but climbed back up to 35C close to 2.30pm.The city has not experienced extreme heat so far because of the presence of sea breeze.With the temperature in several regions of Tamil Nadu crossing 40C or inching closer to it, weathermen on Sunday said the situation was not likey to change in the next 48 hours, adding that dry weather would prevail over the state. The Met department has forecast that maximum temperature will cross 37C on Monday in the city. “The sky condition is likely to be partly cloudy during morning hours and mainly clear thereafter,” weathermen said.On Sunday, Karur recorded the highest temperature at 40.5 C followed by Tiruttani at 40.3C and Madurai at 40C. Several interior and northern districts were not far behind.Dharmapuri and Salem recorded a temperature of 39.5C, Trichy 39.6C, Salem 39.5C and Vellore 39.9C.

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