IMD issues orange alert for Bengaluru, holiday declared for schools in Kolar
BENGALURU: With Cyclone Fengal triggering heavy rain across north Tamil Nadu, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Bengaluru Urban and Rural and the districts of Ramanagara and Chikkaballapura until Tuesday.
Bengaluru and the surrounding areas are expected to receive over 100mm of rainfall in the next 48 hours.
Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga, Chikkamagalur, Hassan, Kodagu, Mysuru and Chamarajanagara districts are expected to receive moderate to heavy rainfall on Monday and Tuesday. The weather is expected to change drastically in the next 48 hours, and cyclonic conditions are set to bring very heavy rainfall with thundershowers to southern interior districts of Karnataka till Wednesday.
Following incessant rain across the district, Kolar Deputy Commissioner Akram Pasha declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Monday, and said the holiday would be compensated for later. He told The New Indian Express that the weather had changed during the course of the day, with continuous rain and a fall in temperature affecting normal life.
Meanwhile, traffic on the busy Chennai-Bengaluru highway reduced drastically, and a majority of shops in the district downed shutters early.
Dip in temp across Karnataka
The IMD has forecast a dip in temperatures across Karnataka, including Bengaluru. Throughout the week, Bengaluru’s skies are likely to remain cloudy, with maximum temperatures expected around 22 degree Celsius, and minimum temperatures near 19 degree Celsius.
Bengaluru is expected to receive light to moderate rainfall throughout the week. In the past three days, minimum temperature in Bengaluru Urban and Rural areas has ranged from 16 degree Celsius to 19 degree Celsius, signalling early onset of winter. IMD scientists told TNIE that the weather may feel cooler than the actual temperature due to factors like rain and humidity.
Bengaluru’s typical winter lasts from mid-December to early February, but this year, winter has arrived early and is expected to be more intense than usual, IMD officials said.