Bengaluru rains: IMD issues yellow alert till October 18 as southwest monsoon withdraws

Bengaluru will experience rainfall as the IMD issues a Yellow Alert till October 18. The rainfall is expected to be scattered.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued rainfall in Bengaluru until October 18 and has issued a yellow alert. According to the weekly bulletin, the city is likely to experience generally cloudy skies, accompanied by one or two spells of rain or thundershowers each day until Sunday. These weather conditions are linked to the ongoing withdrawal phase of the Southwest Monsoon, which is expected to fully retreat from Karnataka soon. The rainfall is expected to be scattered, with varying intensity across different parts of the city.

Bengaluru received 437 mm of rain this monsoon season, a little less than the usual 470 mm.(Representational image generated using AI)

On Monday evening, the IMD confirmed that the monsoon had already withdrawn from parts of north Karnataka. Weather conditions remain favourable for its complete withdrawal from the rest of the state within the next few days, as per a report by The Indian Express.

IMD issues alert till October 18

During this transition period, many regions,especially in south interior Karnataka, are likely to receive widespread showers. In view of the weather developments, the IMD has placed the state under a yellow alert, urging the public to stay cautious until at least October 18.

Bengaluru weekly weather forecast

The weather in Bengaluru from October 14 to October 18 is expected to be mostly cloudy with intermittent rainfall. Temperatures will range between a low of 20 degrees and a high of 31 degrees throughout the period. Humidity levels will remain fairly steady, fluctuating between 65 per cent and 75 per cent, contributing to a muggy atmosphere.

Rainfall is forecast to occur in one or two spells of rain or thundershowers on October 14 and 15, with skies remaining generally cloudy. From October 16 onwards, light rain is expected, accompanied by continued cloudy conditions.

October rainfall deficit in Karnataka

Although the monsoon season (June 1 to September 30) brought near-normal rainfall to Karnataka overall, the start of October has seen a dip in precipitation. According to data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, the state received 48 mm of rainfall in the first 13 days of October—well below the usual 71 mm for this period. This marks a 33 per cent shortfall.

The drop in rainfall has been more significant in certain regions. North Interior Karnataka experienced a 69 per cent deficit, Malnad recorded 21 per cent less rain, and Coastal districts saw a 49 per cent decline. However, South Interior Karnataka, which includes Bengaluru, reported 22 per cent more rainfall than average in October, due to a recent spell of heavy rain.

Regional variations in rainfall across Karnataka

Reportedly, Karnataka received a total of 882 mm of rainfall, slightly above the seasonal average of 852 mm. While most districts received normal rainfall, six districts in North Interior Karnataka recorded excess rain. In contrast, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar saw below-normal rainfall levels.

Bengaluru itself received 437 mm of rainfall this monsoon season, just shy of the normal 470 mm, placing it among the 23 districts that received near-average rainfall.