Monsoon showers will provide much relief to the early onset summers.
Story so far: The first week of February has barely passed, and temperatures are climbing higher. According to experts, it is likely that the state will witness an early summer. The maximum temperatures of 27-28 degrees celsius seen towards the end of January have risen to 31 degrees celsius recently. This may increase to 40 degrees in the summer. However, monsoon rains are expected to have a cooling effect and replenish lakes and reservoirs.
- Commissioner to Karnataka Disaster Management Authority (KDMA) believes that the waning away of the northern cold wave normalised the temperature, and a trough above Sri Lanka is bringing it higher. However, a heat wave is unlikely.
- On a positive note, Karnataka has witnessed plentiful rainfall during the monsoon season, which will continue this year too. Last monsoon, the state saw 1,009 mm of rain, as against the 839 mm norm.
Why it matters? Rapid urbanisation and changing weather patterns have been a bane for Indian metro cities and affect ecosystems too. According to some experts, large quantities of cement and steel being pumped for construction work and increasing particulate matter add to the heat.
- The city’s monsoon showers can be depended upon to combat hot summers. They fill up most water bodies, recharge the underground water table, facilitate power generation, and prevent drinking water scarcity.