Bengaluru Rain: Thunderstorm 70 Km South Of Bangalore, Orange Alert In North, East As Showers Move In

Bengaluru is set for a spell of rain from today, April 29, with a thunderstorm already forming about 70 km south of the city, signalling incoming showers and offering relief from the intense summer heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for most parts of the city, while orange alert remains in North and East Bengaluru, indicating varying intensity of rainfall as pre-monsoon activity strengthens.

According to the IMD forecast, from April 29 to April 30, rainfall will become more widespread across Bengaluru. Areas including Central, South, West and large parts of North Bengaluru are under yellow alert, pointing to fairly consistent light rain, especially during the afternoon and evening hours. Meanwhile, North and East Bengaluru under orange alert are likely to see brief but more active weather conditions, though still within the light rainfall range.

Weather developments through the day also indicate increasing activity. Independent weather tracker Namma Karnataka Weather noted that cloud formations such as floating cumulus and high cirrostratus were visible across the city by afternoon, after a relatively calm morning. However, cloud build-up is expected to intensify through the evening, increasing the likelihood of thundershowers.

In a key update, the tracker reported that the first thunderstorm of the day has developed over Dharmapuri district in North Interior Tamil Nadu, around 70-80 km south of Bengaluru. This suggests favourable conditions for storm movement towards the city later in the day, raising the chances of rainfall across multiple areas.

Looking ahead, between April 30 and May 1, rainfall intensity is expected to ease slightly with a mixed pattern. Bengaluru South and Central will be under orange alert, indicating very light rain, while North and parts of West Bengaluru remain under yellow alert, with light rain likely. Bengaluru East may turn dry in some pockets, reflecting uneven distribution of rainfall.

Across Karnataka, the outlook points to scattered light to moderate thundershowers (5 mm to 50 mm) in districts including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Hassan and Tumakuru. The current weather pattern is driven by inland wind convergence over the Deccan Plateau and Western Ghats, along with moisture-laden winds from the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh coasts.

This shift comes after one of the driest Aprils on record for Bengaluru. The city has recorded just 1 mm of rainfall so far this month against a normal of 61.7 mm. Day temperatures have remained above normal, hovering around 35-36°C, adding to discomfort across the city.

While the showers are not expected to be very intense, they are likely to gradually bring down temperatures and provide relief from the prolonged heat spell. However, experts caution that thunderstorms can be unpredictable, advising residents to avoid open areas and not take shelter under trees during lightning activity.