Monday blues? Bengaluru witnesses cloudy skies, light drizzle

Bengaluru: Despite a disappointing monsoon, Bengaluru received a welcome sprinkle of rain on Monday as cloudy skies and light winds swept through the city.

The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) measured a modest 1.1 mm of rainfall, which India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials attributed to a low-pressure trough over the Arabian Sea and the ongoing El Niño event (where Pacific Ocean temperatures rise).

“There is also a cyclone near Lakshadweep,” A Prasad, senior scientist at IMD (Bengaluru), said. He said the northeast monsoon has not completely withdrawn and will continue to bring rain.

The rain has kept temperatures a degree or two above normal, Prasad added. “The minimum temperature hovers around 16 degrees Celsius in January, but it has gone up to 19 degrees Celsius,” he said, adding that maximum temperature has also spiked as a result of the rain.

The city will remain cloudy with a light sprinkle of rain on Tuesday. While the sky will continue to be cloudy for the next four days, the rain will cease. The IMD's long-range forecast predicts higher-than-normal rainfall for January.