The year of extremes: From a ruthless summer to bountiful rains

Bengaluru faced a scorching summer with record high temperatures and no rain, followed by bountiful showers later in the year.

For Bengalureans, 2024 was a year of extreme weather. It began with an intense summer marked by a sweltering heatwave and an unprecedented lack of pre-monsoon showers.

The India Meteorological Department had predicted a dry summer, but the complete absence of rainfall during the pre-monsoon season caught many by surprise. Bengaluru, which typically receives 205.1 mm of rainfall during March, April, and May, recorded no rain. “This phenomenon was last observed in 1983. Since then, there has been rainfall in April every year,” said an IMD official.

The normal temperatures for Bengaluru during March, April, and May are 33.4°C, 34.1°C, and 33.1°C, respectively. On March 29, the city recorded 36.4°C, the highest March temperature in five years. April 28 saw the year’s peak temperature of 38.5°C, nearing the city’s all-time April high of 39.2°C recorded in 2016.

The prolonged dry spell led to demands for rescheduling work hours by pourakarmika unions and allowances for street vendors struggling to cope with the extreme heat. Meteorologists attributed the soaring temperatures and lack of rain to El Niño conditions.

The rains finally arrived on May 2, ending a five-month drought. As per the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) data in May, Bengaluru received 148.6 mm of rainfall in May, exceeding the normal 97.5 mm by 52%. Although the pre-monsoon rainfall from January to May was slightly below normal (-3%), the monsoon season compensated for the deficit.

During the south-west monsoon (June to September), Bengaluru Urban received 418 mm of rain, slightly below the normal 471 mm. The rainfall pattern varied, with excess rains in June and August, normal rainfall in July, and a significant deficit in September.

The north-east monsoon brought a deluge, with Bengaluru Urban recording 363 mm of rainfall from October to mid-December, 68% above normal. Several parts of the city experienced heavy downpours during this period.