BENGALURU: Bengalureans are feeling the heat. The Bengaluru city weather observatory recorded a maximum of 32.6 degrees Celsius and the Kempegowda International Airport weather observatory 33.9 degrees Celsius on Saturday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) data showed that the city’s maximum temperature is the highest ever in Bengaluru in a decade for September. Moreover, the maximum of 33.9 degrees Celsius is the highest ever for Bengaluru since 1951. That year on September 16, the city had recorded 33.3 degrees Celsius.
IMD officials said the city has been recording maximum temperatures of 31 and 32 degrees Celsius for over a week now. “The rise in temperature is because of poor monsoon, no cloud cover and north-westerly winds, instead of the seasonal south-westerly, prevailing at surface level,” IMD Bengaluru director in-charge N Puviarasan said.
Dry wind fuelling Sept heat: IMD
“The surface wind is dry and carries no moisture, leading to high temperatures, particularly in south and interiors of Karnataka,” Puviarasan said. Though it feels like a heat wave in most parts of Karnataka, this is not the case. Factors for declaring a heat wave have not been met yet, he said. This is unusual for September as the city has also recorded 232 mm deficit rainfall for this season, he added.
Extremes in B’luru City in September (IMD data)
Date/Year Maximum
11/2025 29.9
21/2024 31.6
23/2023 30.8
6/2022 31
20/2021 31.3
10/2020 30.6
(in Degrees Celsius)