Bangaloreans, brace for a harsh summer

Bangaloreans, brace for a harsh summer
Amit S Upadhye | TNN

Bangalore: Here is some hot news. But don’t sweat yet. After reeling under severe spells of chill and dipping mercury, the city may experience scorching heat this summer.
The maximum temperature is likely to beat the high recorded in 1931 — 38.9 degrees C. If this is the case of Garden City, other parts of the state are also likely to sizzle. The mean maximum temperature (average temperature of all districts) of the state is likely to exceed 33 degrees C, says a study conducted by the weather experts in GKVK, UAS campus.
Due to climate change in many parts of the world, the state is also experiencing the change in temperature.
Hence, an attempt has been made to estimate the mean temperature of the state considering several prevailing climatic parameters. The study has proved that coming summer will cross the highest temperature so far, M B Rajegowda, professor of agro-meteorology, GKVK, who headed the study, told The Times of India. The findings of the study will be submitted to the government.
The average maximum temperature of the state is about 33 degrees C. The maximum temperature normally occurs during March-June and the peak during April-May.
The study ascribes two major reasons to the rise in temperature. The good South West monsoon during the year 2007 has supported the crop growth that has used maximum quantity of crop water leaving low moisture in the soil profile. The heat units generated in the soil profile during the subsequent winter and summer will be completely spent to raise the temperature of the soil.
The weak North East monsoon in all parts of the state has not added any water to the soil. The reduction in North East monsoon has reduced the vegetative surface. Normally, the vegetative surface reduces the rise in temperature of the region.
“As there is no precipitation during January and February, the atmospheric pollutants increase. The pollutants act as nuclei and withhold heat units with them and hence contribute to rise in atmospheric temperature,’’ Rajegowda said.
toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com
HEAT WAVE
The state has been divided into three sub-meteorological divisions — North Interior Karnataka (NIK), South Interior Karnataka (SIK) and Coastal Karnataka.
The maximum temperatures of NIK, SIK, Coastal are 37.9 Degrees C, 34.5 and 32.4 respectively.