Many districts, especially coastal areas and north interior Karnataka may experience heat waves by the end of March.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: Bengaluru’s citizens will have to brace for a hotter summer this year as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the mercury may increase by up to two degrees Celsius against the city’s average temperature this summer.
The signs of a hot summer showed up in February when the city recorded a maximum temperature of 34.5 degrees Celsius on a couple of days.
“Year-on-year, we are seeing a rise in temperature, a clear sign of global warming,” A Prasad, senior scientist at IMD Bengaluru, told DH.
While the city’s average temperature for March is 33.4 degrees Celsius, this year, the temperature may go up to 35.5 degrees Celsius on a few days.
“Similarly, the average temperature for April is 34.1 degrees Celsius and this may go up to 36 degrees Celsius. In May, it may reach 35 degrees Celsius as against the average of 33.1 degrees Celsius,” Prasad explained.
Other parts of the state will also see higher than normal temperatures. Many districts, especially coastal areas and north interior Karnataka may experience heat waves by the end of March and this may continue into April and May.
IMD has also predicted a 70% probability of above normal rainfall during the monsoon. Bengaluru is expected to receive 14.7 mm rainfall in March, 61.7 mm in April, and 128.7 mm rainfall in May.
“Dry weather is expected to continue till mid-March. Bengaluru may receive rain after the second or third week of March,” Prasad explained.