Another spell of cold weather in city

Another spell of cold weather in city

Staff Reporter

The Meteorological Centre has issued a ‘cold wave warning’

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

TIME FOR THE SEASONAL GRIND: The low temperatures in Bangalore are a testing time for those without shelter.

Bangalore: Only a week ago, Bangalore had felt different. Temperatures lingered at a pleasant 18 degrees, clouds had begun to gather, and a downpour seemed almost imminent.

The rain-laden easterlies indeed appeared to have got back on track over the peninsula — after cyclone Sidr threw the system off gear two weeks ago making temperatures tailspin to record low in the city.

But now, soon after Sidr has spent itself, it is the turn of an “anti-cyclonic” system to bring a new wave of cold weather to Bangalore.

At 13.3 degrees Celsius, Bangalore on Sunday recorded the second lowest temperature this month, next only to the record low of 12.7 degrees measured 10 days ago.

Yelahanka, on the outskirts, recorded a minimum temperature of 11 degrees Celsius.

North Interior Karnataka recorded temperatures as low as 10 degrees in five districts on Sunday — Bagalkot, Dharwad, Koppal, Raichur and Gadag.

The city meteorological centre has issued a “cold wave warning,” cautioning of “severe to moderate cold wave conditions” in the State.

“An anti-cyclonic system has set in over Rajasthan and Pakistan, pushing cold and dry wind over the peninsula,” says G.S. Vijayaraghavan, Director of the Meteorological Centre here.

“These northerly winds are characteristically cold and dry and get even colder as they move towards the peninsula,” he says. Peninsular India normally has an easterly wind regime, associated with clouds, Mr. Vijayaraghavan says.

He attributes the constant weather changes over the last two weeks, with the temperature dips and rises, and a sky that alternately turns thickly cloudy and brightly sunny, to a fortnight long “tussle between the tropical easterlies and anti-tropical northerlies.”

Rainfall has also been scant owing to these disturbances, and at 35.8 mm, the rain recorded so far is nearly half the “normal” rainfall for November, which is 64.5 mm. “It will be two or three more days of cold weather and clear skies before the easterlies gather strength again,” says Mr. Vijayaraghavan.