The heat soars and rain disappears in Bengaluru’s dry, thirsty summer Premium

Though IMD had forecast that many parts of Karnataka, including Bengaluru, would witness above normal maximum temperature during the summer months of March, April, and May, the weatherman had also predicted a high probability of above-normal rainfall in March over a few districts of south-interior Karnataka, which includes Bengaluru. In line with the IMD’s forecast, Bengaluru recorded above normal temperature during March (the normal temperature being 33.4°C) but the city did not receive any rainfall during this period.

The festival of Ugadi (New Year as per the Hindu calendar) passed off this year without the customary ‘Ugadi male’ (rains) in Bengaluru. The temperature hovered around 35 degrees Celsius on the festival day on Tuesday, the only solace being that it was a few degrees lower than in the preceding days. Once known by the sobriquet of an ‘air-conditioned city’, Bengaluru saw temperature crossing 38 degrees Celsius this April. It has been a double whammy for Bengalureans this summer considering the serious water crisis in the city.

Though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast that many parts of Karnataka, including Bengaluru, would witness above-normal maximum temperatures during the summer months of March, April, and May, the weather forecaster had also predicted a high probability of above-normal rainfall in March over a few districts of south-interior Karnataka, which includes Bengaluru.

In line with the IMD’s forecast, Bengaluru recorded above-normal temperature during March (the normal temperature being 33.4°C) but the city did not receive any rainfall during this period.

On March 29, the IMD’s Bengaluru city station recorded a maximum of 36.4°C, which is the highest March temperature in the last five years for the city. A few days later, on April 5, the Kempegowda International Airport’s (KIA) weather station recorded a maximum of 38.3°C. The very next day, the Bengaluru city station recorded 37.6°C, which turned out to be the third-highest maximum temperature in the last 15 years for April, and the highest in the last eight years for Bengaluru. The highest-ever temperature recorded for April though was 39.2°C in 2016.

This has been particularly bad for those compelled to work in the sun, like construction workers, delivery executives, pourakarmikas (civic workers), and auto and taxi drivers. It has been so bad that that pourakarmika unions have demanded that their working hours be rescheduled for the summer months. While they are expected to work between 6.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m., they have demanded half-day work and breaks in between. They have also asked ror eye shades, caps or hats, umbrellas, and other equipment to protect themselves from the heat, in a memorandum submitted to the Urban Development Department and the Department of Municipal Administration. Street vendors have demanded a special allowance for the summer months because their business is down.

So, what has led to the soaring temperatures and rain eluding the city this summer? Meteorologists attribute it to El Nino conditions. El Nino refers to a band of warmer water spreading from west to east in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. It has had an impact not just on the rising temperatures during the summer months, but also during the last winter season.

“We did not witness an intense winter (December, January, and February) also because of El Nino. Then there is an anti-cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. So we can expect high temperatures. The classical thunderstorm activity has not started in April, so we have not received any rainfall so far,” said A. Prasad, scientist, IMD, Bengaluru.