Bengaluru: After witnessing a prolonged dry spell in March 30, Karnataka, including Bengaluru, reported excess rainfall with moderate-to-heavy thundershowers throughout April.
While Karnataka saw deficit rainfall until March 30 this year, as of April 30, it had 50% excess rain, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) Bengaluru and state weather agency Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).

“Until March 30, Karnataka should have received 13.1mm of rainfall but recorded 13mm. The near-normal rainfall was largely due to intense thunderstorms along coastal districts. Otherwise, most of the north and south-interior districts had dry conditions. As against the minimum of 45.9mm of rainfall until April 30, Karnataka received 68.8mm,” an IMD scientist explained.
Bengaluru saw prolonged dry weather with only a trace of rainfall until March 30. “The city receives average rainfall of 14.7mm during March. But this time, it got only 11.8mm. That deficit has been negated with excess rainfall in April. The city received 86.3mm of rainfall, an excess of 59% against the normal 54.3mm,” said another IMD scientist.
Sources at KSNDMC revealed that barring Bidar and Ballari, most other districts received excess rainfall between Jan 1 and April 30, ranging from 5% to 180%. “The highest excess rainfall was recorded in Udupi district with 101.7mm as against the normal average of 36.3mm. Mysuru recorded the lowest excess rainfall with 92.7mm as against the normal average of 88.6mm. Ballari reported 28% less than the normal average rainfall and Bidar 25% less,”explained a KSNDMC official.
Bengaluru Urban district saw 42% excess rainfall between Jan and April. “While normal rainfall in Bengaluru Urban for the season is 56.6mm, the district received 80.5mm. Excess rainfall across Bengaluru Urban was largely due to heavy thundershowers in north and western parts of the city in April,” said the duty officer at IMD observatory on Palace Road.
Below-normal temp, above-normal rain in May
According to IMD, most parts of Karnataka are set to witness below-normal temperature and above-normal rainfall during May. “Barring a few districts in Kalyana Karnataka, the entire state will see below-normal maximum temperature along with normal minimum temperature. Only in Kalyana Karnataka, temperature will be above normal and may even touch 42 to 43 degrees Celsius,” the IMD forecast said.
Similarly, coastal districts, along with parts of south-interior Karnataka, including Bengaluru, will also receive above-normal rainfall ranging from 33% to 75% excess.
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Pre-monsoon showers in 47 city wards offered much-needed break from the summer heat Wednesday. Traffic police issued advisories on X regarding waterlogging at key points in the city. Slow-moving traffic was reported near Cantonment railway bridge towards Mehkri Circle and on Sankey Road (towards the airport). Senior IMD scientist CS Patil said Bengaluru will see see partly cloudy sky and intermittent rain over the next five days