Heavy rains lashed Bengaluru and suburbs yesterday evening and intensified further in the night. Driving rains impacted normal life disrupting communication and commuting. Rail, road and air connectivity was deranged and few domestic flights were diverted. Roads were inundated and the arterial connectivity was ruptured. Houses got flooded and the lanes were water logged with knee deep water. Metro lines were temporarily shut due to power outages and the transmission lines got snapped due to heavy thunderstorm and lightening.
A cyclonic circulation is well marked over Coastal and South Interior Karnataka, and a north-south trough extending from North Kerala to Telangana across North Interior Karnataka. This feature has intensified the pre-monsoon activity and deluged many parts of the silicon city with stormy weather conditions. Circulation is expected to move inland over South Interior Karnataka and Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh. Powerful and extensive thunderstorm activity accompanied with gusty winds of gale speed is likely over this region for the next 48hr.
Bengaluru city recorded 114.6mm of rainfall in 24hr, ending 8.30am today morning. Extremely heavy rains pounded the city in the night, reducing horizontal visibility to few meters and resulting diversion of some domestic flights. Some other parts of the city measured up to 130mm of 24hr rainfall. The city has rained almost everyday during this month and recorded moderate to heavy showers on 01st, 09th, and 14th May. The heaviest spell of 115mm lashed most parts last night. The Tech city has received total of 253mm of rainfall between 01st and 18thMay against the monthly normal of 107.4mm. This also is the highest monthly rainfall since last 10years and breached the earlier record of 241.9mm of May 2017. It appears, the city is heading for an all time highest monthly rainfall and is expected to overtake earlier figure of 287.1mm established in May 1957.
Heavy to very heavy rains are likely over the city and suburbs in the next 48hr. Thunderstorm, lightening and squally weather conditions will prevail over both rural and urban Bengaluru. Neighbouring townships like Hassan, Mysore and Mandya are also vulnerable for flooding rains over the next 48hr. Most of the activity will happen again in the evening and night. Weather conditions will marginally improve tomorrow for the interior parts of South Interior Karnataka bordering Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu. Substantial relief is expected from 20thMay onward lasting till weekend and beyond.