Tamil NaduThursday, 16 July 2026·The Hindu - Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu heatwave till July 17: RMC warns of 41.6°C in Vellore and hotter interior districts
RMC said abnormal heatwave conditions will continue in interior Tamil Nadu till July 17, with Vellore touching 41.6°C and rainfall likely to improve later this week.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In July 2026, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said abnormal heatwave conditions would persist across interior Tamil Nadu till Friday, July 17, after Vellore recorded 41.6°C and Chennai’s Nungambakkam touched 39.4°C, the city’s highest July maximum since 2019.
Key specifics
- Vellore recorded 41.6°C on Wednesday, the highest temperature in Tamil Nadu for the day.
- Chennai’s Nungambakkam recorded 39.4°C, the highest July maximum in the city since 2019.
- The RMC issued a heatwave warning for isolated places in 19 interior and northern districts, including Vellore, Kancheepuram, Erode, Salem and Madurai.
- Seven districts, including Namakkal, Karur and Madurai, were likely to experience heatwave conditions on Friday, July 17.
- Meenambakkam recorded 40.1°C, while the maximum in Chennai was likely to hover around 38–39°C on Thursday.
Exam lens
Weather and geography question type, RMC, 19 districts, 41.6°C in Vellore, 39.4°C in Nungambakkam, July 17, 2026; TNPSC may ask which station recorded the highest temperature or which districts were under heatwave warning.