‘Mahasen’, the cyclonic storm brewing over the Bay of Bengal, is more than 1,000 km from India’s eastern coast, but its outer reaches could bring rain and squalls to places as far away as Karnataka in the next two days, according to the forecast of the meteorological centre here.
South interior Karnataka in particular is expected to receive heavy rain and see gusty winds in the next two days as the cyclone moves northwestwards towards the subcontinent.
The cyclone, which developed on Saturday morning, is likely to intensify into a ‘severe cyclonic storm’ in the next 24 hours, according to a bulletin from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The impact of the emerging cyclone, coupled with pre-monsoon thundershowers, brought heavy rainfall along with severe thunder and lightning to several parts of southern Karnataka on Friday and Saturday. Madapura in Kodagu received 6 cm of rainfall, while northern Bangalore — Hesaraghatta and Yelahanka — received 4 cm; Hallimysore in Hassan and Kollegal in Chamarajanagar recorded 3 cm.
May is known as a ‘cyclone month’, says B. Puttanna, director of the meteorological centre. “Mahasen is the first cyclone this season, but we generally see two or three in the Indian Ocean at this time.”
The cyclone is heading northwestwards, but might change its trajectory in the next 36 hours and move towards the Bangladesh-Myanmar coast, according to the IMD.
Meanwhile, a welcome dip was noted in temperatures that had been climbing the charts until last week. On Saturday, the minimum temperature was a pleasant 20 degrees Celsius, and the maximum 33 degrees — a good 4 degrees cooler than the corresponding figures recorded last Saturday.
