Bengaluru to See Rain or Thunderstorm on These Days; Why Is the Garden City Unusually Hot?

Rain with thunderstorms predicted on April 13 and 14 in Bengaluru. Photo : Times Now

Bengaluru: Ugadi, also known as the Telugu and Kannada New Year, is being celebrated across Karnataka with full enthusiasm. Despite the scorching heat, people are geared up to embrace this new beginning. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts the maximum temperature to reach 36 degrees Celsius today, with the minimum temperature settling at 23 degrees Celsius. Amid the water crisis and summer heat, Bangaloreans are eagerly anticipating one thing that could provide them with some relief - rain. IMD has forecasted rain in the upcoming days, which may not alleviate the rising temperatures but will hopefully offer respite from the blazing sunlight.

Bengaluru Weather Forecast:

The weather in Bangalore is expected to shift soon, with rain and thunderstorms predicted by IMD on April 13 and 14. During these days, the minimum temperature is also expected to drop by 2 degrees Celsius. Until then, all Bengaluru residents can do is await the arrival of raindrops to grace the city.

Bengaluru Weather Forecast

Why is Bengaluru Unusually Hot?

Bengaluru's unusually warm summer has been attributed to three primary factors: El Niño, anticyclone, and a ridgeline passing through 18 or 20 degrees latitude south. While some experts have pointed towards the urban heat-island effect, Prasad identified El Niño as the primary cause, as reported by DH. He explained, "The city hasn't received any rainfall since January. There is no weather activity. Above-normal temperatures have been recorded for many days in a row. That's what makes it unusual."

Looking ahead, the IMD official anticipates pre-monsoon showers to arrive in Bengaluru by the third or fourth week of April, followed by a comparatively cooler May.

Karnataka Weather

IMD has forecasted a welcomed break from the scorching heat for most parts of Karnataka over the upcoming weekend. Predicting a "significant" decrease in maximum temperatures and anticipating light rainfall at isolated spots across nearly all districts, the IMD's announcement brings relief amidst the sweltering conditions.

Monday saw a promising start to the week with several regions experiencing a notable drop in maximum temperatures. Kalaburagi, which had been enduring intense heat, recorded a maximum temperature of 41.8 degrees Celsius, marking a three-degree decrease. Even Bengaluru, grappling with an unusually hot summer, witnessed a decline in mercury levels with the maximum temperature dropping to 37 degrees Celsius.

Just days earlier, on April 6, Bengaluru had registered a maximum temperature of 37.6 degrees Celsius, the second-highest in the past five years and the third-highest in 15 years.

While some districts including Kalaburagi, Bagalkot, Raichur, Yadgir, Uttara Kannada, Gadag, Koppal, Vijayanagar, and Ballari will still face heatwave conditions, the situation is expected to be less severe compared to the previous week, according to A Prasad, Scientist 'D' at IMD Bengaluru. He mentioned, "The maximum temperature will not rise by more than 2 degrees above normal. In fact, it's expected to drop."

Coastal Karnataka, however, will continue to experience hot and humid weather, Prasad added.

The IMD anticipates light rainfall (15 mm or less) across most districts on April 12 and 13, with Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Mysuru, Gadag, and Belagavi likely to witness thundershowers in the coming days. Subsequently, temperatures are expected to rise again before experiencing another drop, as per the official.