Heat is on: Bengaluru is hottest metro

Summer has just begun but Bengaluru and other districts have already got a taste of what is to come.

On Thursday, the maximum temperature stood at 37 degrees Celsius in the city, a notch lower than the previous highs seen on March 26, 2017, and March 29, 1996, when Bengaluru witnessed a temperature of 37.2 degrees and 37.3 degrees Celsius respectively.

It is not just Bengaluru, but a large part of Karnataka and areas in other southern states are also reeling under high temperatures. Mysuru recorded an all-time high of 37.9 degrees Celsius on March 7. The highest-ever temperature was recorded on March 30, 1931, when the city witnessed 37.8 degrees Celsius.

Other districts which are witnessing high temperatures include Ballari, which recorded a maximum of 39 degrees Celsius followed by Chamarajanagar (38) and Kalaburgi (37.7).

While parts of south India are experiencing a heat wave, north India is seeing an extended winter.

Weathermen said heatwave alerts have been issued for parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, but not for Karnataka. For a heat wave to be declared, the maximum temperature should be at least 5-6 degrees higher than normal and recorded in at least two stations for two consecutive days. Apart from the global phenomenon caused by disruption in the polar vertex, local factors are also playing a major role in the weather fluctuations.

C S Patil, IMD Bengaluru director in-charge, said that a low pressure is moving from south to north. This is the reason why it’s hot in south India and cool in north India. By the end of April and May, the heat wave will hit north India and neighbouring countries, he said.

According to IMD records, Palakkad in Kerala experienced a maximum of 38.6 degrees Celsius and Thiruvananthapuram saw a maximum of 35.3 degrees Celsius.

Bengaluru hottest metro

Bengaluru is currently hotter than other metropolitian cities in India.

At 8.30 am on Friday, the maximum temperature in Delhi (Safdarjung) was 26.5 degrees Celsius, Chennai 34.1 degrees Celsius, Mumbai 32.4 degrees Celsius and Hyderabad 35.6 degrees Celsius.

Geeta Agnihotri, director-in-charge, IMD Bengaluru, said temperatures in the city were rising as there was no formation of any systems and the weather was dry.

“A forecast for rain or thunder showers was issued for Friday and Saturday, but that has not happened. This only indicates that the temperatures will continue to be on the higher side,” she said.

Other cities are cooler than Bengaluru because of local factors, she said.

The minimum temperature in the city is also high. At this time of the year, Bengaluru’s maximum and minimum temperatures stand at 32 and 19 degrees Celsius respectively. But on March 7 and 8, it was 20.5 and 21.8 degrees Celsius respectively.