Posted by Bengaluru:Bengaluru city has now endured 146 consecutive rainless days, despite forecasts suggesting the possibility of showers for the past week. However, a recent forecast indicates a chance of inconsistent rainfall within the city in the coming days. Although rain was reported at the international airport on Jan 11 and in some areas two days earlier, the weather department do not include these instances in Bengaluru’s rainfall count, as the showers were not widespread and did not occur near the India Meteorological Department’s central observatory located in the city center. According to the IMD, Bengaluru’s last recorded rainfall was on Nov 21, 2023.
As reported by the Times of India, CS Patil, scientist and director, airport Met office, IMD Bengaluru, stated the following reasons for Bengaluru not witnessing rainfalls despite predictions:
The mercury’s northward journey is driven by El Nino – warming of the Pacific Ocean, causing less rainfall over India.
The atmosphere is stable. It’s only when it is unstable that clouds develop. It’ll remain stable in Karnataka for the next three days
Due to the drought situation of 2023, there is no soil moisture and this has caused an increase in temperature and no rainfall, according to Patil, dry soil and air both contribute to heatwave.
‘Temperatures have risen across the country..’
Additionally, the specialist elaborated that temperatures have exceeded typical levels nationwide, extending beyond Bengaluru. Presently, there is no heatwave prevailing in the state, and limited rainfall is anticipated in south-interior Karnataka, encompassing Bengaluru, from Wednesday through Friday. Another contributing factor is the stability of the atmosphere; cloud formation typically occurs when conditions are unstable. The atmospheric stability is expected to persist in Karnataka for the ensuing three days.
Temperature in Bengaluru has seen a rise in the last few decades: Research
Recent studies have unmistakably shown that the average temperature in Bengaluru has risen by nearly one degree in the last 42 years. This increase has been especially pronounced in the last two decades, leading to a heightened rate of water evaporation from bodies of water. With reduced rainfall over the past three years, there has been a direct effect on the recharge of groundwater and the refilling of reservoirs, worsening the existing water scarcity issue.
“We need to plan for water urbanism by making the city’s landscape porous. Our study shows that in areas with vegetation of native species, about 55 to 60% of the rainwater gets infiltrated. When vegetation cover is less than 30%, only about 25% of the water gets infiltrated. But concretisation completely stops infiltration,” the Hindu quoted Dr. T.V. Ramachandra, who authored the report, along with three other researchers.