After 162 days, it's raining in scorching Bengaluru

Bengaluru experienced a respite from the scorching heat on Friday as parts of the city received summer showers and thunderstorms. The city had been facing extreme temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius for over a month, causing residents to eagerly await the cooling rains.

The recent cloud cover and rainfall are anticipated to lower the mercury levels in the coming days. Bengaluru had earlier set a new temperature record on May 1, reaching 38.1 degrees Celsius, and surpassed it slightly on Thursday with 38.2 degrees Celsius.

The sudden change in weather, with clouds forming in the evening, led to widespread rain. This shift was preceded by predictions from IMD scientists of breezes developing over the south interior Karnataka districts on Wednesday.

The city had been experiencing an unprecedented dry spell, with no rainfall recorded since 1983 for the month of April. It had been 162 days without rain in Bengaluru before the recent showers.

Although the last week of April saw some rain, it was too minimal to be measured by the IMD. With the persistent high temperatures, there were concerns that the heat would continue into May. However, the forecasted thunderstorms over the next few days are likely to decrease temperatures by a few degrees, offering some relief to the city's residents.