Bengaluru's all-day chill isn't going away soon

Bengalureans will have to wait for their clothes to dry. The sunshine isn’t coming back for at least two more days.

An unusually small difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures is behind the current damp, chilly weather in Bengaluru and parts of southern Karnataka, according to the Met department.

Strong northeasterly winds, light rains and a low-pressure area in coastal Tamil Nadu have caused this weather pattern.

Consider this. The mean maximum temperature for the city in November is 27.2 degrees Celsius and the mean minimum temperature is 18 degrees Celsius. This translates into a temperature range of about 10 degrees Celsius. But the actual maximum and minimum temperatures are 21.6°C and 19.5°C, or a temperature range of just 2.1°C.

While the maximum temperature has fallen drastically (by 6°C), the minimum temperature is actually higher than normal (by about 2°C). In other words, the weather is colder than usual during the day and slightly hotter than usual during the night and early morning.

Windchill effect

“The day’s temperature is discomfitingly low. That’s because the maximum temperature isn’t rising and there are strong winds. It’s a windchill effect,” said A Prasad, Scientist D at the IMD meteorological centre in Bengaluru.

According to Prasad, this low temperature range has been caused by a low-pressure area in coastal Tamil Nadu, strong northeasterly winds travelling at 15-20 kmph and light rains brought in by the northeast monsoon.

“It’s going to stay this way for at least two more days,” he added.

As per IMD’s forecast, Bengaluru will have a generally cloudy sky with light rains until November 14. Afterwards, the clouds will clear and the rains will subside, giving way to sunshine.

“After five days, the days will become warmer and the nights will become colder,” Prasad said.

It’s a similar weather pattern in some parts of South Interior Karnataka, notably Kolar, Chamarajanagar, Ramanagara, Mandya, Mysuru, and Hassan.