Yellow alert has been issued for Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, and Yadgir districts, warning of cold wave conditions and advising heightened preparedness
North-interior Karnataka is bracing for a spell of severe cold wave, with the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) warning that minimum temperatures are likely to remain 4 degress Celsius to 6 degrees Celsius below normal across large parts of the region between December 19 and 23.According to the latest district-wise weather data released by the KSNDMC, Bidar recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the State at 5.5°C during the 24-hour period from 8.30 a.m. on December 18 to 8.30 a.m. on December 19. Other districts in the region also reported sharp drops in night temperatures, with Kalaburagi recording 7.5°C, Vijayapura 6.9°C, Belagavi 6.4°C, and Dharwad 6.7°C, indicating intensifying cold conditions across North Karnataka.
Yellow alert: The KSNDMC has issued a yellow alert for Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, and Yadgir districts, warning of cold wave conditions and advising heightened preparedness during the period. The alert indicates a moderate risk of cold-related impacts, particularly during night and early morning hours.
In an extreme weather index forecast issued on Thursday evening, the KSNDMC said severe cold wave conditions are likely at isolated places over north-interior Karnataka on December 19, 20 and 21, while both north and south-interior Karnataka may experience minimum temperatures significantly below normal levels till December 23.Some parts of the Malnad region are also expected to witness similar cold wave conditions during the same period, while Coastal Karnataka may see a dip in temperature by 2°C to 3°C below normal between December 20 and 22.Despite relatively high daytime temperatures, with maximum temperature crossing 34°C in districts such as Kalaburagi and Vijayapura, the sharp fall in night temperatures has resulted in a wide diurnal variation, aggravating cold stress, especially during early morning and late night hours.