Bengaluru/Mysuru: As temperatures soar to unprecedented levels across northern, south and central Karnataka in recent days, India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heatwave alert for 12 districts spanning next five days.

According to IMD scientist C.S. Patil, the districts of Mysuru, Mandya, Ballari, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Raichur, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru and Yadgir are anticipated to experience heatwave conditions.

From 8.30 am of May 1 to 8.30 am of May 2, Mysuru’s maximum temperature was recorded at 40.8 degree Celsius while minimum temperature stood at 22.7 degree Celsius.

Furthermore, the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) has raised the alarm by issuing a red alert, indicating severe heatwave conditions, for six districts. These include Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri and Koppal, where temperatures are expected to range from 40 to 46 degrees Celsius from May 1 to 9.

Patil elaborated that these districts are witnessing exceptionally high temperatures compared to previous summers. “Upon analysing climate data, we’ve observed that several of these districts consistently record temperatures ranging between 41 and 43 degrees Celsius,” he stated. “Additionally, the formation of a trough extending from Madhya Pradesh to South Interior Karnataka has disrupted wind patterns,” he added.

KSNDMC also pointed out that when comparing maximum temperature recorded in Karnataka in the past seven years — between 2017 and 2024 — April 30, 2024 recorded the highest, 45.6 degrees Celsius. IMD also forecasts warm night conditions for next five days. In contrast to KSNDMC’s ‘red alert’ for severe heatwave conditions, the IMD clarified that a severe heat (red) alert can only be issued when the actual maximum temperature surpasses 47 degrees Celsius.

Anticipated for May 6-7, the South Interior Karnataka and Malnad regions, encompassing Bengaluru and Mysuru, are expected to experience significant summer showers.