Karnataka Yellow Alert: Cloudy Skies, Light Showers Kick Off Bengaluru’s Rainy Spell

Bengaluru residents awoke to a cloudy Tuesday, with light showers sprinkling parts of the city. While the occasional rainy day is common, any downpour in Bengaluru can quickly highlight the city's infrastructure challenges, from flooded streets to toppled structures. Now, a longer spell of rain is on the horizon, raising concerns among residents and authorities alike.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a low-pressure area is set to develop in the Bay of Bengal within the next 24 hours, and it is expected to move slowly westward toward the Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka coasts over the following two days.

While Tamil Nadu is likely to bear the brunt of the rains, neighboring regions in South Interior Karnataka, including Bengaluru, are not likely to remain unaffected. Due to the influence of this system, coastal and south interior Karnataka are likely to experience light rainfall at isolated locations on November 12.

The IMD forecasts heavy rainfall between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm for South Interior Karnataka on Wednesday and Thursday (November 13-14), prompting a yellow alert over the region. This alert encourages residents to stay updated on weather developments, as light to moderate showers are expected to continue in the state until the weekend.

In Bengaluru, thunderstorms and lightning are also anticipated from Wednesday through Sunday, with an estimated rainfall of around 30 mm in the coming days.

From November 13 to 15, light to moderate rainfall is expected to occur fairly widely across south interior Karnataka and coastal Karnataka. "Light to moderate rainfall is very likely to occur at a few places over north interior Karnataka from November 13 to 15," according to the IMD.

The IMD also forecasts light to moderate rainfall at a few locations in north interior Karnataka during the same period.

Residents have been advised to exercise caution, especially with ongoing metro work in the northern areas of Bengaluru that could exacerbate traffic congestion and waterlogging issues. Flood-prone areas should be avoided as far as possible, and residents are urged to follow the forecast closely for safe travel and daily planning.

Other districts in Karnataka, including Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Belgaum, Chikkaballapur, and Udupi, are also preparing for considerable rainfall this week. The rains come after a dry start to November, with Karnataka recording only 11 mm of rainfall between November 1 and 10 - 48% below the monthly norm.

Bengaluru Urban and Rural areas are experiencing rainfall deficits of 78% and 76%, respectively. With the upcoming rainy spell, it remains to be seen if the state will manage to close in on its monthly averages.

As Karnataka braces for an intense rainfall week, residents are urged to stay informed and prepared, keeping an eye on any further alerts from the IMD.