Mercury rises in Bengaluru, but can you call it a heatwave

Bengaluru, Apr 29: The mercury is rising in every part of the country. While in Karnataka the temperatures are high constantly over the past two weeks, there has been convectional rainfall which hasn't led to a heatwave.

Some places in the coastal and interior regions of the state have reported above average temperatures over the past two days. However meteorologists say that there is no cause for alarm as the departure is not over 2.6 per cent.

On April 21, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that a few districts in interior north Karnataka have breached the 40 degree Celsius mark. Kalaburgi recorded the season's highest temperature of 43 degree Celsius, while in Raichur it was 41 and Bidar witnessed 40 degree Celsius.

The temperature in Bengaluru averaged between 34 and 36 degree Celsius. While the summer heat is high, the IMD says that this year the temperatures are comparatively less due to conventional rainfall.

"In Bengaluru, the felt temperature is always higher as the city is at a higher altitude. This year, we could say that April has been comparatively cooler as there were days when the temperature touched 37-39 degrees Celsius in the previous years. It is higher in districts like Ramanagara, Chamarajanagar, Tumakuru and Mysuru as mercury levels are always higher in the plains," an IMD scientist explained to Deccan Herald.

"We call it a heatwave when the temperature goes above 45°C or when there is a departure of 4.5% from the normal. For the next three days, there will not be a heat alert in the state," the Deccan Herald report also added.