Bengaluru witnessed widespread thundershowers on Tuesday evening, offering much-needed relief from the recent spell of humidity and scorching heat. The moderate to intense thundershowers, accompanied by strong and gusty winds, lashed several parts of the city, disrupting traffic during the evening peak hours.
Weather Impact and Rainfall Data
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), intense thundershowers were concentrated over north and northeastern Bengaluru, while nearly 60% of the city experienced wet weather conditions. Moderate to light rain was reported from south and southeastern localities. The city recorded 17.8mm of rainfall, with HAL areas receiving 4.8mm. Wind speeds of up to 35kmph were recorded during the evening, leading to uprooting of trees and falling of branches in several areas.
Disruption to Namma Metro Services
The rain disrupted Namma Metro services on the Purple Line after a tree branch fell on the tracks between ITPB and Sathya Sai Hospital stations around 6pm. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) suspended services between Whitefield and Garudacharpalya stations for nearly 30 minutes, affecting operations at around 10 stations during peak hours. Commuters complained of overcrowding at stations and alleged that BMRCL failed to issue timely updates about the disruption, with many passengers initially assuming it was caused by a technical fault.
End of Pre-Monsoon Showers?
IMD officials said Bengaluru and parts of south-interior Karnataka are likely to witness a gradual withdrawal of pre-monsoon thunderstorm activity. “Tuesday’s thunderstorms are likely to be among the last widespread and intense pre-monsoon spells over Bengaluru. Isolated showers may continue for a few more days before monsoon conditions fully set in,” said IMD scientist CS Patil.
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