BENGALURU: Bengalureans perplexed over the rain pattern, and especially the winter-like misty mornings in the city in the past couple of days, may have an answer, Environmentalists and ecologists say this is due to the record rainfall of 366mm in the city in August.
Prof J Srinivasan from Divecha Centre for Climate Change, IISc, noted that he had witnessed similar weather some 22 years ago, in 1988, and credited greenery and water bodies for it. Compared to cities like Delhi or Mumbai, Bengaluru is much cooler as it still has some greenery. Earlier, after a spell of rain, there would be mist on the ground and grass the next day or even after two or three days.
The city is an urban heat island surrounded by a lot of cool areas, hence this type of weather, said Srinivasan Agreeing with the senior expert, Shrinivas Badiger from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment opined that it is also an impact of global warming and greenhouse impact.
“There is a reduction in green cover and water bodies, which used to act as a buffer against heat and excess rain. Green cover and lakes are used to balance the extreme weather, and as these are reduced, there is a change in the weather pattern,” he said.
AN Yellappa Reddy, the senior environmentalist, said the weather pattern has changed both at the micro and macro levels. An increase in concrete buildings, the release of nanoparticulate matter and air pollution have caused a change in cities at the micro level, and in a broader sense, the blasting of hill rocks, cutting of mountains, pollution and release of acids and toxins in water bodies has impacted climate at the macro level.
Hence, such unpredictable weather, he added. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Bengaluru has issued a rainfall warning for a few more days.