IMD warns of cyclonic activity near Karnataka; issues pre-monsoon rain alert for Bengaluru, Yadgir and THESE cities

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said it expects cyclonic circulation near Karnataka over the Arabian Sea from May 21 onwards. The Met department predicted that the cyclonic activity would intensify and would form a low-pressure area in the region around May 22.

“An upper air cyclonic circulation is likely to form over east-central Arabian Sea off Karnataka coast around 21st May. Under its influence, a Low-pressure area is likely to form over the same region around 22nd May. Thereafter, it is likely to move northwards and intensify further,” the IMD said in its weather forecast dated May 19.

On Monday, heavy showers lashed most of the peninsular region, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The rainfall occurred due to the prevailing weather systems, which are most likely to bring pre-monsoon downpour in the coming days, according to the Met. Cyclonic circulation was observed over Haryana and Rajasthan, Assam, Maharashtra and Bay of Bengal.

Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka received very heavy pre-monsoon showers on May 19,  leading to waterlogging and flooding at several places.

As per Bengaluru Meteorological Centre, precipitation is likely in Kalaburagi, Shivamogga, Vijayapura, Devanagari, Raichur, Yadgir, Ballari, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban, Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada. Light to moderate rain, thundershowers, lightning and gusty wind speed of 30-40 kmph are likely at isolated places in the next 3 hours, the Meteorological Department said.

It forecast very heavy to heavy rains until May 26 and predicted thunderstorms and lightning with extremely heavy rain until May 21.

IMD Senior Scientist RK Jenamani, “We have issued the orange warning for Karnataka for May 20 and 21. We have issued a red warning for North Interior Karnataka, South Interior Karnataka and coastal Karnataka and adjoining areas of Tamil Nadu... Konkan, Goa and Madhya Maharashtra to get very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall on the night of May 20 or 21st to 22nd,” ANI reported.

The IMD official noted that moderate to heavy rainfall is likely in Mumbai from May 21.

Heatwave alert

The IMD Senior Scientist on May 19 said, “For North India, there is no chance of a heat wave intensifying... Heat wave warning is only confined to Rajasthan... Parts of South Haryana may have a heat wave... For Delhi, there is no heatwave warning.”