Despite forecasts, Bengaluru won’t get any rain till May, and the dry season is predicted to last more than 150 days: Specialists

Bengaluru: Enduring an extended period of drought, Bengaluru, fondly known as the Indian Silicon City, has faced more than three months without rainfall. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), April is not likely to bring any relief in terms of rain to the city. Typically, dry spells in Bengaluru last for approximately 100–120 days, but this one is proving to be longer than usual. Initially, there was anticipation of rain within the week, as per IMD’s forecast, however, the latest report suggests that the intense heat will persist without respite. Both the ECMW and GFS forecasts do not indicate any precipitation for Bengaluru and other regions of Karnataka, except for the Ghats, for the next 10 days. The anticipated “mango showers” in April may occur sporadically, with some areas experiencing them while others may not.

Report Indicates Major Rainfall Expected in May
Nevertheless, significant thunderstorms are expected, predominantly in May. The weather forecast for the upcoming week predicts a mixture of partly cloudy and mostly clear skies across the region. Expect predominantly clear skies with temperatures ranging from 21 to 36 degrees Celsius on April 17 and 21. However, it’s worth noting that according to the weather report published on the ‘timeanddate’ website, there is an 18 percent chance of rain on April 19, with predictions of around 1.5 mm of rainfall, followed by April 30, when there is over a 55 percent chance of rain forecasted with expectations of over 6.5 mm of precipitation.

Weather Forecast for the Current Month
Day Temperature Weather Feels Like Chance Amount
Thu
18 Apr 35 / 23 °C Cloudy. 34 °C, 2%
Fri
19 Apr 36 / 23 °C Showers late. Overcast. 35 °C 18% 1.5 mm
Sat
20 Apr 36 / 23 °C Overcast. 34 °C, 3%
Sun
21 Apr 37 / 23 °C Cloudy. 35 °C, 1%
Mon
22 Apr 37 / 23 °C Cloudy. 35 °C 0% –
Tue
23 Apr 38 / 24 °C Afternoon clouds. 37 °C 0% –
Wed
24 Apr 38 / 24 °C Sunny. 36 °C 0% –
Thu
25 Apr 38 / 24 °C Partly cloudy. 35 °C, 2%
Fri
26 Apr 38 / 27 °C Sunny. 36 °C 4% –
Sat
27 Apr 38 / 27 °C Sunny. 35 °C 3% –
Sun
28 Apr 39 / 27 °C Sunny. 37 °C 4% –
Mon
29 Apr 39 / 28 °C Mostly sunny. 38 °C 5% –
Tue
30 Apr 39 / 27 °C Showers late. Afternoon clouds. 43 °C 57% 6.5 mm

Insights from Experts on the Current Conditions
Meteorologists attribute the prevailing hot and arid conditions in Bengaluru to the El Niño phenomenon, signifying elevated temperatures in the Pacific Ocean along the equator. El Niño not only results in temperature spikes but also impacts the timing and distribution of rainfall. Typically, Bengaluru experiences thunderstorms in April, yet they are notably absent this year.

Bengaluru has not seen any rainfall since 2023, marking over three months without precipitation. Although January and February usually see dry weather, March typically brings some rainfall. However, this year has seen no significant precipitation, as reported by Karnataka Weather on X (formerly Twitter).

The verified weather expert named @Bnglrweatherman on X (formerly Twitter) stated, “Let’s anticipate rain in May for Bengaluru and Karnataka. The combined precipitation forecasts of ECMWF & GFS predict no rainfall for Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka, except for the Ghats, in the next 10 days. Mango showers in April might be sporadic, but our major thunderstorms are expected in May.”