Clear skies, cool winds plunge mercury to record low

Clear skies and cool northerly winds blowing across the state have brought minimum temperatures down by several notches in Bengaluru and many other places.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has attributed the drop to dry weather prevailing in the state.

IMD Bengaluru's director-in-charge C P Patil told DH that the wind directions will change from November 1 that would bring rains. The weather bureau has predicted the onset of North-east monsoon from November 1.

Patil said the change in wind pattern and moisture would increase the minimum temperature and lower the maximum temperature. This would bring rainfall across the interior and coastal Karnataka.

The IMD recorded minimum temperature in Vijayapura as 11.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest recorded in October in the last 127 years.

Minimum temperatures remained 12.5 degrees Celsius in Dharwad, 13 degrees in Haveri, 12 degrees in Chamarajanagar and 12.3 degrees in Davangere. All these places recorded the lowest temperature for October in 18 years.

Mysuru recorded 11.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest for October in 125 years, while Bengaluru witnessed a minimum temperature of 16.6 degrees Celsius, the lowest in 10 years. The city marked 13.2 degrees Celsius on October 31, 1974.