Karnataka Rain: Bengaluru To Stay Dry As IMD Warns Of Storms In 21 Districts; Thunderstorm Chances At 70–85%

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday has warned of thunderstorms across at least 21 districts in Karnataka over the next three days (72 hours), even as Bengaluru is expected to remain dry despite yellow and orange alerts in parts of the state.

The alert covers Coastal, North Interior and South Interior Karnataka, with stronger activity expected in northern districts.

Parts of North Interior Karnataka, including Belagavi, Dharwad, Bagalkot, Vijayapura and Kalburgi, are under orange alert. IMD has warned of thunderstorms accompanied by hail and gusty winds reaching up to 40 to 50 kmph in these areas, indicating a higher risk of localised disruption.

A wider set of districts across coastal and interior Karnataka remain under yellow alert. These regions are likely to see thunderstorms with lightning, winds of 30 to 40 kmph and light to moderate rain at isolated places.

IMD said the state will continue to experience hot conditions during the day, with cloud build-up and thunderstorm activity likely during the afternoon or evening. This pattern is typical of the pre-monsoon phase, where heat triggers short, localised spells of rain and wind.

The department has also flagged possible impact on daily life, including temporary power disruptions in some areas, traffic snarls during sudden showers and damage to harvested crops kept in open fields.

Bengaluru Weather

In contrast, Bengaluru is expected to remain dry over the next five days, with mainly clear skies and no rainfall forecast. Day temperatures are likely to stay around 36 to 37 degrees Celsius, while night temperatures may range between 23 and 24 degrees Celsius.

The city recorded no rainfall in the past 24 hours, with warm conditions continuing. This comes after an earlier IMD forecast had indicated rain on Wednesday, with Bengaluru now seeing partly cloudy skies instead. Bengaluru is seeing partly cloudy and sunny skies on April 22 despite thunderstorm alerts in other parts of the state.

The current alert remains in place till April 25, after which IMD expects conditions to ease, with no major warning issued for the following days.

The evolving weather pattern also comes amid early concerns around a possible El Niño in 2026, which could lead to weaker monsoon rainfall and higher temperatures. While the current alerts are part of typical pre-monsoon activity, any shift in larger climate conditions could influence rainfall trends in the months ahead.