Bengaluru reaches 31.9°C, nearing its September heat record

Bengaluru touched 31.9°C on Monday, bringing the city within 1.4°C of its all-time September maximum of 33.3°C, recorded on September 16, 1951.

The previous day, the maximum reached 32.2°C. Daytime temperatures have stayed between 30°C and 32°C for the past few days, a departure from the wetter conditions Bengaluru typically sees during this phase of the southwest monsoon.

CS Patil, a scientist at IMD Bengaluru, said El Niño was largely influencing the near-record temperatures across the city. “This dry condition is likely to prevail for the next couple of days,” he said.

The dry spell extends beyond Bengaluru. Coastal Karnataka and south-interior Karnataka recorded no rainfall, while parts of north Karnataka received isolated light to moderate showers. Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre officials said 122 taluks had received zero rainfall for three consecutive weeks.

The state has declared 101 of its 239 taluks drought-hit, and officials expect that count to rise before the southwest monsoon season ends later this month.