Bengaluru is in the grip of above-normal temperatures this week, with the city offering little respite from the heat over the coming days, even as pre-monsoon showers brought some relief to other parts of Karnataka on Wednesday, April 22.
All three Bengaluru weather stations, HAL Airport, City, and Kempegowda International Airport, recorded maximum temperatures above normal on Wednesday, April 22. HAL Airport and the City station both touched 36.4°C and 36.5°C, respectively, running 2.3°C above normal, while KIAL recorded 36.7°C, up 1.6°C from normal. Minimum temperatures overnight were also above normal across the city.
The IMD forecasts mainly clear skies for Bengaluru over the next 48 hours, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to remain around 37°C and 23°C, respectively — staying 2–3°C above normal. No rainfall is expected in the city in the near term. Only isolated rainfall is forecast for Bengaluru's broader district through the week. From April 27 onwards, light to moderate rain is possible at one or two places across Bengaluru Rural and Urban districts.
Speaking to TNM, IMD scientist CS Patil attributed the rise in temperature primarily to a strong anti-cyclonic circulation over the Maharashtra and Central Asia region, located around 2.1 km above sea level. “This type of anti-cyclone suppresses the formation of convective clouds, which leads to higher surface temperatures,” he explained.
Beyond regional weather systems, urbanisation is playing a significant role in how hot different parts of the city feel. Patil said Bengaluru’s rapid expansion has replaced green cover and open soil with concrete, glass and asphalt, intensifying the urban heat island effect.
A baseline study by the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, in collaboration with the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), found that several neighbourhoods are consistently warmer than the rest of the city. Areas like Peenya, Nagawara, Hennur and HBR Layout are recording up to 4°C higher temperatures, making them some of Bengaluru’s most prominent heat islands.
Urban heat islands form when densely built-up spaces trap heat during the day and release it slowly at night. Industrial zones such as Peenya, with large concrete and corrugated structures and mixed-use corridors like Nagawara–Hennur, marked by heavy construction and major transit intersections, absorb and re-radiate heat far more than greener or lake-adjacent areas.
Patil said that neighbourhood-level temperature differences depend heavily on microclimatic features such as nearby lakes, tree cover and wind direction. “Winds passing over water bodies bring moisture and cooling. Built-up areas without such features tend to be hotter,” he noted.
According to the latest IMD bulletin, maximum temperatures in Bengaluru are likely to remain around 37–38°C over the next week. “There may be a variation of plus or minus one degree, but no significant increase is expected,” Patil said. Higher temperatures may persist into mid-May. “Temperatures may remain high till May 15 to 20, and after that, a decrease is expected,” he added.
No major change in maximum temperatures is expected across Karnataka for the next five days.
Across Karnataka
While Bengaluru stayed dry, other parts of the state saw active pre-monsoon weather. Rainfall was reported at many places across north interior Karnataka, at a few places over coastal Karnataka, and at one or two places in south interior Karnataka as of Wednesday morning.
Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada received 6 cm, followed by Harapanahalli (Vijayanagara) and Hubballi (Dharwad) at 3 cm each, and Nargund in Gadag district at 3 cm. Udupi district recorded 1 cm.
Kalaburgi was the hottest station in the state, recording 39.9°C, followed by Koppal and Raichur, both at 39°C.
The IMD has issued warnings of thunderstorms with hail and gusty winds of 40–50 kmph for isolated pockets of Belagavi, Dharwad, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, and Kalaburgi districts today. Coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada can expect light to moderate rain with gusty winds of 30–40 kmph. Hot and humid conditions are likely along the coast, particularly over Udupi and Uttara Kannada, for the next two days.
Isolated rainfall is forecast across all three meteorological subdivisions of the state through April 28.