Bengaluru
oi-Madhuri Adnal
After a hot and humid afternoon filled with uncertainty over thunderstorm development, several parts of Bengaluru finally started receiving rain on Thursday evening, with weather watchers across the city sharing live updates of drizzle, thunder and heavy showers.
Areas including Whitefield, Rajajinagar, Chamrajpet, Ramamurthynagar, Malleshwaram, Kothanur and Varthur reported rainfall activity between 6 pm and 6:15 pm as thunderstorms gradually moved across Bengaluru.
Bengaluru experienced thunderstorms and rainfall on Thursday evening in areas like Whitefield, Rajajinagar, and Malleshwaram after a hot, humid day. Scattered thunderstorms are forecast to continue across Bengaluru and nearby districts in the coming days.
“Started raining at Rajajinagara with large size drops,” one resident posted, while another reported “moderate rains in Chamrajpet.” Weather enthusiasts in Whitefield and EPIP Zone shared videos of heavy rainfall, while Varthur residents reported continuous moderate rain for nearly 20 to 25 minutes.
Rain Activity Spreads Across Multiple Bengaluru Areas
Rainfall reports started emerging rapidly from different parts of the city as thunderstorm clouds intensified during the evening hours.
Residents in Malleshwaram and Basavangudi reported steady drizzle, while Kothanur witnessed continuous light rain. Ramamurthynagar residents also shared visuals of rain activity on social media platform X.
At the same time, several areas remained under clear skies despite thunder activity nearby. Residents from Singasandra, Manyata and parts of south and southeast Bengaluru said they were still “in spectator mode” as storm cells appeared to shift toward central and eastern parts of the city.
One weather observer noted, “TS coming from east. But Singasandra not getting anything. And central getting rains.”
Bengaluru Residents Spent Afternoon Tracking Thunderstorm Chances
Earlier in the day, many Bengaluru residents had complained about uncomfortable heat and humidity levels across the city.
“So hot today,” one user wrote during the afternoon, while another commented, “Hot and little bit humidity as well.”
Despite the heat, weather enthusiasts remained hopeful that atmospheric conditions were becoming supportive for thunderstorm formation. Several observers pointed to “CAPE recharging,” referring to Convective Available Potential Energy, an important ingredient for thunderstorm development.
By late afternoon, weather trackers monitoring wind movement said “steering favourable today,” raising hopes for successful thunderstorm activity across Bengaluru.
Discussions throughout Thursday also focused on changing wind patterns at different atmospheric levels.
One observer questioned how 850 hPa winds from the west and 700 hPa winds from the northeast and east could influence Bengaluru weather.
Another weather enthusiast explained that low-level clouds generally follow 850 hPa winds, but current moisture levels remain limited. Because of this, the 700 hPa level may currently play a bigger role in thunderstorm development.
However, strong low-level winds could still weaken thunderstorms even if upper-level steering remains favourable.
Karnataka Rain Activity Likely To Continue
According to weather observers, an Upper Air Cyclonic Circulation (UAC) remains active over the south-central Arabian Sea off the Karnataka coastline. Inland convergence was also observed across parts of Kerala, South Interior Karnataka, Karavali and Malnad regions.
Forecasts continue indicating scattered thunderstorm rainfall across Bengaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Mysuru, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and nearby districts over the coming days.
Many weather enthusiasts also believe South Canara and parts of the Malabar region could receive stronger rainfall activity over the next 10 days as monsoon-supportive conditions gradually strengthen.
