Bengaluru swelters as monsoon dry spell continues

IMD forecasts said that rainfall for the month of August would be below normal.

Karnataka grapples with drought as rainfall plummets, high temperatures persist. (Representational Photo)

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With Karnataka receiving just one-third of the normal rainfall in the first two weeks of August, high-temperature conditions prevailed in the state. While some parts of the state recorded maximum temperatures exceeding 35 degree Celsius, Bengaluru, known for its moderate weather, has sweltered with the mercury nearing 32 degree Celsius.

Hot and humid conditions in the state are expected to prevail in the coming week too, due to “subdued rainfall activity” in Karnataka and other South Indian states. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), above-normal monthly maximum temperatures are “very likely over most parts of the South Peninsula”, which includes Karnataka.

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On August 12, the maximum temperature recorded in Bengaluru was 31.4 degree Celsius, according to data from Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre. The northern districts of the state are bearing the brunt of the heat in the monsoon season, with parts of Raichur district recording a maximum of 35.6 degree Celsius on August 12. Of 31 districts in the state, only Kodagu had maximum temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius. On Saturday, the maximum recorded in Kodagu was 29.1 degree Celsius.

The rainfall deficit in the state for August 1-12 was 67 per cent, as Karnataka received 32.8 mm rainfall against a normal of 99.8 mm. This meant that 26 districts of Karnataka had large deficits (shortage of 60 per cent or more) in rainfall, and five had deficits between 40 to 60 per cent. The relatively dry Chamarajanagar district, located south of Bengaluru, had excess rainfall of 27 per cent for the period.