Unseasonal rain hits Bengaluru, temperature drops to January Low

According to IMD, over the next week, Bengaluru will experience misty mornings and partly cloudy skies.(representational image)

An unusual spell of light rain in Bengaluru on Sunday affected 162 out of 198 municipal wards across the city. According to a TimesNow report, 1.9 mm of rainfall was recorded within the city limits and 3.1 mm at the HAL airport.

The unseasonal rain brought a surprise to the Bengaluru’s residents. The Sunday rainfall was linked to a trough of low pressure over the southwest Bay of Bengal near the Tamil Nadu coast.

The showers, though brief, brought a significant dip in the maximum temperature, which fell to 21.4 degrees Celsius, 7.1 degrees Celsius below the January norm.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), over the next week, Bengaluru will experience misty mornings and partly cloudy skies.

Fog or mist are expected early in the mornings, and temperatures are likely to remain stable.

As per the forecast for the coming days, minimum temperatures will remain around 16–18 degrees Celsius and maximum temperatures will hover near 28 degrees Celsius.

The Sunday showers are noteworthy because January is typically a dry month for Bengaluru, with only 0.2 rainy days on average, as recorded between 1981 and 2010.

The mean rainfall for the month during this period stands at just 1.9 mm.

In seven out of ten years, January rainfall in Bengaluru has been sparse, with minimal or no rain between 2012 and 2021 with exceptions such as 20.1 mm of rain recorded on January 6, 2021, and 7.6 mm on January 1, 2015.

The highest-ever single-day rainfall in Bengaluru for January was on January 16, 1908, when the city received a staggering 65.8 mm, contributing to a record monthly total of 101.9 mm.

Residents of India's IT hub can expect cooler mornings with shallow to moderate fog or mist, ahead of the Republic Day.

As per the forecast, the minimum temperature will remain between 15–18 degrees Celsius over the weekend, offering pleasant conditions.

There is no forecast about significant rainfall. But the city may experience partly cloudy skies, maintaining the typical winter atmosphere.

With unseasonal rainfall now behind, the city returns to its usual January climate. But the surprise showers are a reminder of the changing weather patterns.