Bengaluru boils at 38 degrees, 2nd hottest day in 8 years

Bengaluru on Saturday recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius, making it the second hottest day in eight years.

Earlier in the month, on two occasions, the city had recorded a maximum temperature of 37.6 degrees Celsius. That record was breached on Saturday.

But the April 2016 record — when the city witnessed a scorcher of a day, clocking 39.2 degrees Celsius — still remains the hottest day of the last decade.

Officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Bengaluru attributed the rising temperatures to El Nino effect and global warming. 

This April has been one of the warmest summer months in a decade since the number of hot days have increased drastically. The city recorded over 37 degrees Celsius for more than 10 days in the month. 

Rains by May 2

After a dry spell in March and April, the weekly forecast by the IMD has predicted that the city will receive some rainfall by May 2.

Given the weather conditions at present, hot days will continue in the city for the rest of April. While a few other districts in the state may start receiving rain from April 30, Bengaluru will have to wait till May 2. 

However, temperatures are going to remain high until then. The forecast for Sunday and Monday said that the dry weather would continue and the maximum and minimum temperatures would hover around 37 degrees Celsius and 23 degrees Celsius.