The continuing hot and dry weather in Bengaluru may give way to scattered rain later this week, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said on Monday.
According to IMD, “Skyes are likely to remain clear to partly cloudy till April 27, with temperatures remaining in the range of 35°C to 37°C and at night around 23°C.” Humidity levels are expected to remain moderate, resulting in the prevailing heat continuing over the next two days.
From April 28 to May 1, isolated areas are likely to receive light to moderate rain, mostly in the afternoon or evening. Wind speed during this period may reach 40 to 50 kilometers per hour. Even with the rain, daytime temperatures are expected to remain in the mid-30s, with little change in the lows.
This shift will be followed by a series of higher-than-normal temperature readings in the city. On Sunday, the city recorded a high temperature of 36 degrees Celsius, while previous readings for this month have already exceeded seasonal averages. Despite pre-monsoon rains in parts of Karnataka, the capital has seen little rain so far.
According to officials, conditions may vary by region. Coastal areas – including Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada – may receive light rain with winds of up to 30 to 40 km per hour, although some locations may still feel hot and humid.
In the northern interior districts – Belagavi, Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur and Koppal, rainfall may be limited to isolated pockets, officials said, adding that parts of the southern interior districts – including Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Kodagu, may also witness light rain and gusty winds.
Meteorologists also noted the possibility of thunderstorms in isolated parts of southern interior Karnataka on April 30, with wind speeds reaching 30 to 40 kilometers per hour.
Even as Bengaluru waits for rains, parts of the state have already witnessed severe weather. In Bhadravati taluk in Shivamogga district, a short but intense spell of wind and rain on the evening of April 26 caused widespread damage to farms.
The storm, which lasted about 15 minutes around 6 p.m., toppled hundreds of walnut and coconut trees. Some were broken off halfway, while others were completely uprooted. Falling electricity poles and trees near residential areas increased the extent of the destruction, while farmers rushed to their fields during the storm.
Chikkamagaluru also reported heavy rainfall on 27 April.
