BENGALURU: The calendar might say it is just February 24, but take a look at the temperature today and you will feel as if the hot season is already here. The summer-like conditions appear to be a repeat of last year with almost four months of summer and fears of water shortage and heat waves looming.
The extended summer is also expected to stretch the power supply limits of ESCOMS as average daily power consumption is expected to exceeded limits.
Bengaluru recorded a maximum temperature of 35.2oCelsius on Wednesday, while in several districts across the state mercury stood between 37 and 41.
While different weather agencies — Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Cell (KSNDMC) — have differences over maximum temperatures recorded in a district, data from both agencies show that the average maximum temperature recorded is 2-3oC above normal.
Sunder M Metri, director of IMD, forecast a hot summer. “If we go by the data, last year too similar temperature readings were recorded,” he said.
The maximum temperature in Bengaluru for February is generally 32oC. “The reading on Wednesday was 35.2oC,” he said.
Raichur scorches at 410C
Temperatures in districts of North Interior Karnataka have shot up. For instance, the maximum temperature recorded in the state on Wednesday was in Raichur district with 41.2oC.
Dr G S Srinivasa Reddy, director of KSNDMC, said the temperature recorded in the whole of Karnataka, including Kalaburagi, was alarming. Despite above normal maximum temperatures across the state, Reddy said the maximum temperature for the day was on an average a degree lesser than that recorded on the same day in 2016.
Noting that the state had declared 14 districts as ‘Heat Wave-affected districts’ last year, he said that such a situation might repeat this year as well.
M B Raje Gowda, professor of Agro-Meteorology, University of Agricultural Sciences, said that a temperature of 37oC was registered in the past in the second week of April. “This year, we might cross 37oC even before March,” he said.
He is hopeful that the soaring heat will advance pre-monsoon showers. “This year, since we experienced almost no winter, summer will be relatively longer than normal,” he added.
According to forecasts, pre-monsoon showers are expected in first or second week of March.