Monsoon clouds gather over Kempegowda tower at Lalbagh in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K
Has it been hot in Bengaluru the last few days? Yes, says the weatherman as the mercury went up from a maximum of 28.5 degree Celsius to 31 degree Celsius between August 10 and August 15.
After many spells of rain and cooler days since July, this week, many residents of Bengaluru felt almost summer-like heat and humidity.
“On Tuesday and Wednesday, it felt hot even at night. After May, I had not switched on the air-conditioner (AC) in my room, but had to do it on Wednesday,” said Karunya Rao, a resident of Peenya.
“I sat on my balcony hoping to catch some cool breeze, but it was of no use, and I had to come inside and sit under the fan on Wednesday,” said Prakash V., another resident of Kengeri.
The officials of India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru said that the temperature has gone up in Bengaluru as the monsoon has weakened.
“The intensity of rainfall has reduced in the last few days. In the last 15 days, there has been no heavy rainfall. There is only one system in the Arabian Sea, which is a cyclonic circulation extending up to 4.5 kilometres above mean sea level. We have no systems over coastal Karnataka and, hence, rainfall has reduced,” C. S. Patil, Director, IMD Bengaluru, told The Hindu.
Along with natural factors, the urban effect is also in play in Bengaluru which leads to people feeling hot when there is no rainfall. “Due to vast area, concrete roads and huge buildings, air does not retain its coolness in Bengaluru. When rainfall ceases for one or two days, the temperature rises very quickly here,” Mr. Patil said.
The maximum temperature is expected to hover between 31 and 32 degree Celsius in Bengaluru over the next few days. “We have forecast light rainfall in Bengaluru city in the next four to five days,” Mr. Patil said.
Monsoon has weakened
According to the IMD official, there has been a break in monsoon in August after rainfall peaked in July. “Monsoon is weak in most parts of Karnataka. Some light to moderate widespread rainfall is expected in south interior Karnataka and coastal Karnataka in the next few days. We have sounded a yellow alert in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru districts,” Mr. Patil said.
The intensity of rainfall will pick up again during the time of withdrawal of the southwest monsoons which is expected to occur by October 15. As the northeast monsoon is expected to arrive simultaneously, good rainfall is expected in many parts of Karnataka, including Bengaluru, in October.
