Bengaluru’s winter bite intensifies: IMD forecasts 12 degrees Celsius lows, a first for Dec since 2016

Bengaluru's characteristic winter weather pattern is set to intensify: residents can expect misty, fog-laden mornings followed by clearer days and sharply colder nights.

Bengaluru is set for a distinct and unusually sharp drop in nighttime temperatures this week, with the mercury forecast to plunge to 12 degrees Celsius — a level not experienced in the city during December for nearly eight years. The impending chill marks a significant departure from the recent mild conditions and the month’s historical average.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city's minimum temperature, which registered 16 degrees Celsius on Sunday, will consistently hover between 12 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees Celsius over the coming days. This forecast places the week firmly below Bengaluru’s mean December minimum of 16.4 degrees Celsius.

C S Patil from the IMD Bengaluru confirmed the outlook, stating, “The temperature will hover between 12 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees Celsius this week. However, after this week, normal winter temperature may prevail.” His comments were reported by Deccan Herald.

Should the minimum reach 12 degrees Celsius, it would equal the lowest December temperature recorded since 2011, last touched on December 11, 2016. Meteorological experts attribute the descending chill to a combination of northeasterly winds, clear skies, dry air and stable atmospheric conditions.

While North and Central India brace for a declared cold wave, Bengaluru’s experience will be milder in comparison but still notably colder than seasonal norms. The IMD’s seven-day forecast indicates moderate humidity levels will persist, creating the classic Bengaluru winter ambience of cool, sunlit afternoons giving way to brisk evenings.

The city’s characteristic winter weather pattern is set to intensify: residents can expect misty, fog-laden mornings — with light fog specifically predicted for December 14 — followed by clearer days and sharply colder nights. No major weather warnings have been issued beyond the temperature drop.