Bengaluru Rain Alert Today: IMD Warns of Thunderstorms, Lightning as Karnataka Under Yellow Alert

After days of struggle with the scorching heat and the rising summer temperatures, residents in Karnataka finally breathed a sigh of relief with the first spell pre monsoon showers in multiple areas seen on Tuesday.

Karnataka weather today is fairly pleasant as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for multiple districts, forecasting rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds across the state.

Rain, Thunderstorm Forecast for March 18

According to IMD, light to moderate rain and thundershowers are expected at isolated places across several districts on March 18. Areas likely to be affected include Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Tumakuru, Mandya, Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Hassan, Kodagu, Davangere, Chamarajanagar, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Belagavi, and Dharwad.

The Bengaluru weather today and tomorrow is expected to remain cloudy with chances of light rain, lightning, and gusty winds, especially during evening hours.

IMD Nowcast: Thunderstorm Alert in Bengaluru and Nearby Districts

As per the IMD Bengaluru nowcast, light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, along with wind speeds of 30-40 kmph, is likely to occur in the next few hours in and around Bengaluru, Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Tumakuru, Mandya, Ramanagara, Mysuru, Hassan, Davangere, Ballari, Vijayanagara, and surrounding districts.

The IMD alert also pointed towards possible temporary disruptions, including:

Power outages in some areas
Traffic slowdowns due to sudden rainfall
Risk of falling tree branches due to strong winds

Residents have been advised to stay indoors, avoid open areas, and take precautions during lightning activity.

Hailstorms Disrupt Parts of Karnataka

Several districts have already experienced intense weather activity, including hailstorms and heavy rainfall. Regions like Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Hassan, Belagavi, Dharwad, Vijayapura, Koppal, and Hubballi saw hailstones accumulating on roads and open areas, in some cases turning surroundings white.

In Kalaghatagi near Hubballi, hailstorms led to traffic disruption, with vehicles skidding due to slippery road conditions. Similar weather conditions were reported in parts of Belagavi and Dharwad, along by strong winds.

District-Wise Alert: Yellow Warning Continues

The IMD's sub-division-wise warning indicates that thunderstorm and lightning activity will continue from March 17 to March 20 across coastal, north interior, and south interior Karnataka.

March 17-20: Thunderstorms, lightning, squally winds likely

March 21 onwards: No major warning; conditions expected to ease

Outlook for Bengaluru and Karnataka Weather

The Karnataka weather forecast by IMD this week suggests continued pre-monsoon activity, with intermittent rain and thunderstorms likely over the next few days.

The rainfall has brought temporary relief from heat, but also raises concerns of localised disruptions and weather hazards.
Citizens are advised to stay updated with IMD weather alerts, Bengaluru rain updates, and Karnataka weather news, especially during evening hours when thunderstorm activity tends to intensify.