MYSURU: With the maximum temperature hovering between 37°C and 40°C in the past fortnight, Mysuru city — shorthand for pleasant weather, thanks to its large lakes and leafy roads — is now officially hit by heatwave.As per a Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Center report, Mysuru is locally experiencing heatwave conditions. IMD guidelines say heatwave is declared when the temperature departure is over 4.5°C from the normal or the maximum temperature breaches 40°C in the plains.In the ongoing season, Mysuru district is currently experiencing near-brutal above-normal temperatures due to climatological changes. Departures from the normal are between two and four degrees. These conditions indicate above-normal heating across the district. The normal maximum temperature for Mysuru in April is around 34°C – 35°C.IMD forecast offers no immediate relief from the heat spell in southinterior Karnataka, with the maximum temperature set to rule well above the normal for the next five days. Thunderstorms with hail and gusty winds with speeds up to 40-50 kmph are likely to occur at one or two places in the coming days.As per the KSNDMC report valid till May 4, all nine taluks in Mysuru district are categorized under lowheat risk areas.According to KSNDMC officials, several parts of the district recorded 40 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. “Tourist spot Talakadu and temple town T Narasipura, among others, logged 40 degrees Celsius,” said an officer.According to an analysis, lack of rainfall has contributed to continuous rise in temperature. “Strong solar radiation (clear-sky conditions), absence of cloud cover, delay in premonsoon showers, dry wind patterns over interior Karnataka, and impact of large-scale climate variability are major causes for the high temperature,” an assessment said.According to Parashuramegowda, an environmentalist, the prevailing situation calls for introspection. “Loss of green cover, disappearance of waterbodies, and concrete structures have resulted in high temperatures. Our fear is what is in store for the next generation,” he said, urging the government to draw a roadmap to make efforts and restore ecological balance in the coming years.
