Hot days here to stay

Scorching Sun, dry weather and nil rainfall. And it’s only March. The mercury has already notched up several degrees, with 35.90 C being the highest so far. If you think it’s hard to bear this month’s rising temperatures, get ready for more. April is going to be as bad.
The pensioner’s paradise is no more the air-conditioned city that it once used to be known as. Temperatures are soaring each summer, resulting in dry winds, lower humidity and delayed monsoons.
As per Met department records, each year, the temperature in March is two to three degrees higher than the estimated figures. Decreasing forest cover and the spread of concrete jungles mean that there is no possibility of the temperatures ever dipping.
In March 1996, the maximum temperature recorded was 37.30 C. This year, a high of 35.90 C has been recorded and it is possible that the figure will rise over the next few days.
“March is the peak month of summer in the city and rainfall is nil,’’ said Met department director G S Vijayraghavan.
Dispelling popular belief, he explains that March is the hottest as it gets no more than 2.5 mm of rainfall, (less than one day of rainfall), compared to 46.3 mm (nearly three days of rainfall) in April.
In May this year, the rainfall is expected to rise to 119.6 mm (nearly seven days of rainfall) accompanied with thunderstorms.
Humidity, in March, is as low as 20 per cent, which makes the weather even more hot and dry.
The Sun being closest to Earth between March 21 and June 21, these months invariably witness more Northerly Winds, which are dry and increase the temperatures.
Tips to keep your home cool this summer
Rooftops can be painted white to reflect heat Keep windows closed during the day, open them only after sunset
Cover the windows on the western and southern sides of the house to keep light out
Keep green plants, bushes and small water bodies outside the windows to cool down hot breezes Replace incandescent lamps with fluorescent lamps
If you are constructing your house, avoid building your living room on the southern side.
What we can do?
Planting trees is one way we can contribute towards restoring the city’s greenery. Besides, building ecofriendly houses is an option that is in vogue. It gives an ethnic look and helps beat the heat.
A R Shivkumar, scientist from Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology, suggests that instead of wall paints, one should go for earthly finishing inside the house; opt for solar heaters and plan rainwater harvesting.
Choosing light colours for walls and light colours for curtains will add brightness and give the interiors a cool look.
What’s making Bangalore boil?
Increase in number of vehicles: Bangalore has more than 25 lakh vehicles and on an average, nearly 700 vehicles are registered each day — primarily two-wheelers. Vehicle emissions add to heat radiation and lead to smog formation. Smoke emanating from industries, generators, air-conditioners and ewaste make the situation worse.
Drying up of water bodies: There was a time when the city had over 1,500 lakes and tanks. Today, this number has shrunk to a few hundred. Rapid urbanisation, encroachments and illegal layouts have sprung up on water bodies. Effluents from industries and sewage from housing colonies have also contributed to the dying of lakes. This has led to an ecological imbalance.
Deforestation: Bangalore was once known for its green cover that gave it a balanced climate. As the city grew, trees made way for broader roads and concrete structures. Though civic authorities have taken steps to restore the city’s greenery, it will take a while to rejuvenate it. Huge tracts of farmland have now given way glass-facade buildings, which emit radiation.