Heat wave conditions likely to prevail in Karnataka till Friday: IMD

Maximum temperatures are likely to rise by two to four degrees Celsius over Belagavi, Bidar, Gadag, Dharwad, Haveri and Raichur districts, the IMD said.

Weather agencies including the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) continued to forecast soaring temperatures and heatwave conditions in the southern state.

In major relief, the IMD predicted light rainfall over some parts of the state this weekend. (PTI)

The IMD in its daily bulletin said Bagalkote recorded the highest maximum temperature of 41.2 degrees Celsius in the state. It forecasted dry weather till Friday. However, in major relief, the department predicted light rainfall over Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Bidar, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Kodagu, Mandya and Mysuru districts on Saturday and Sunday.

Light rainfall is also likely to occur at Uttar Kannada, Bagalkote, Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Raichur, Vijayapura, Yadgir, Ballari, Chamarajanagar, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Shivamogga, Tumakuru and Vijayanagara districts on Sunday, it said.

Maximum temperatures are very likely to rise by two to four degrees Celsius over parts of Belagavi, Bidar, Gadag, Dharwad, Haveri and Raichur districts and rise by two to three degrees Celsius at isolated places over Bengaluru Rural, Davanagere, Hassan, Kolar, Mandya and Mysuru districts during next two days, it added.

The IMD also issued a heat wave warning, saying that the current maximum temperature is exceeding the 95th percentile of climatological value at isolated pockets of Karnataka. “This is likely to continue to exceed 95th percentile of climatological value over extended areas of the state on 2nd April 2024. Heat index in isolated pockets of Coastal and North Interior Karnataka is in the range of 40 to 50 degrees Celsius,” it noted.

Heat wave conditions are likely to prevail at isolated places over Bagalkote, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Yadgir and Vijayapura districts of North Interior Karnataka from till April 5.

For Bengaluru city, the IMD predicted partly cloudy skies in the morning, becoming clear by afternoon or evening, and maximum temperatures likely to be around 35 to 36 degrees Celsius over the next 48 hours.

The KSNDMC noted that an average maximum temperature of 41.7 degrees Celsius was recorded at Raichur district.

It echoed the IMD's predictions and said above normal temperatures are likely this summer.