BENGALURU: With rain playing truant across the state, Karnataka is facing the heat, quite literally, as the temperature has increased by 2-4 degrees Celsius in a majority of areas.
Mandya district has seen the sharpest rise as the mercury has jumped nearly 6 degrees Celsius as against the normal for August, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. At the same time, the minimum temperature during night has dipped in some places.
According to data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC), the number of districts facing rain deficit has increased from 14 in July-end to 20 districts as on Monday. These districts have recorded a deficit, ranging from 20-45 per cent. Since the beginning of the monsoon on June 1, the state should have received 666 mm of rainfall, but it has recorded only 485 mm. The increase in temperature is because of this prolonged dry patch.
The IMD weather report states that Mandya recorded the maximum temperature of 34.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday, which was 6 degrees Celsius departure from the normal. Gadag reported 33 degrees Celsius which is 4 degrees Celsius higher than the norm. Bengaluru, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Bidar and Chitradurga districts are experiencing a difference of 3 degrees Celsius. There is a variation in minimum temperature too. Vijayapura recorded 3 degrees Celsius lesser than normal and Belagavi one degree Celsius.
Prof MB Rajegowda, former registrar, University of Agricultural Sciences, said with no rain, the evaporation of moisture from the soil has increased, making it dry. This has led to an increase in temperature. “These are signs of global warming. If there is a systematic rain pattern, warming is lesser. There has been an increase in temperatures departing from the normal. At present, we are in the negative half of the cycle, which means the state received good rain for the last six years and it may be bad for the next six years. The increase in temperature and dry soil are hampering crop growth too,” he added.
KSNDMC former director Srinivas Reddy said, quite ominously, that there are no signs or weather systems favourable for rain (except in isolated areas). No system has formed over the Bay of Bengal or Indian Ocean. This is likely to continue till September 7. With deficit rain and temperature rising, the evaporation from water bodies has increased which is also worrying. We are in monsoon and it feels like summer. With this weather extremity, there are chances of extreme cold during winter, he hypothesised,