City sizzles at 37 deg C

City sizzles at 37 deg C
Reason for summer heat
Increasing traffic, pollution and the decrease in water bodies

The Times of India


Bangalore: If May Day was a holiday for you, you were lucky to escape the peaking summer heat in the city because at 37 degrees, Monday was the hottest day this year. And the bad news doesn’t end there. Temperature is likely to soar higher this week, says Met director A L Koppar.

“It is unlikely that we will touch 38 degrees, but by and large, temperature this year will be higher than last year. The poor rain in April has paved way for this weather,’’ Koppar told The Times of India. One can expect rain in the second week of May and that would do the much needed thermostat effect of bringing the temperature under control. Last summer, the peak was at 37.4 degrees.

Although there has been no steady rise in mercury with every passing summer, officials in the Met department blame the increasing traffic and pollution and the decrease in water bodies and green area for the scorching summer. “Global warming is taking its toll and Bangalore is no exception,’’ Koppar said.

Even in 2000, the summer was severe and the highest temperature then was 37.7 degrees. However, the hottest day Bangalore has had so far was in 1931, where the mercury touched 38.9 degrees and later in 1983 where it was 38 degrees.

The only spot of good news amidst the sunburns, sweat and scorching heat is that Bangalore is still miles away from touching the dreaded 40 degree mark. And monsoon is most likely to hit the city in the first week of June.