Karnataka Gets Very Cold and Foggy for Holidays
As Karnataka prepares for Christmas and New Year, winter has brought very cold weather across the state. Even though different groups show slightly different temperature readings, the cold is clearly felt.
Thick fog in the early mornings makes it hard to see. This is causing problems for travel in parts of Bengaluru and nearby areas.
Bengaluru's Low Temperatures
Weather experts say Bengaluru will have clear skies, but with lots of thick fog and mist in the mornings.
- Areas outside the city with many trees will likely have temperatures below 10°C (50°F).
- The main city areas will see minimum temperatures between 12°C and 13°C (53.6°F - 55.4°F).
Temperature Readings Differ, But Cold Is Real
Data from two different weather groups show varying numbers for Bengaluru:
- KSNDMC Data:
- Bengaluru Urban: 8.5°C (47.3°F)
- Bengaluru Rural: 8.7°C (47.7°F)
- IMD Data (official weather office):
- Palace Road, Bengaluru: 14.4°C (57.9°F)
- HAL Airport, Bengaluru: 14.1°C (57.4°F)
Despite these differences, all weather experts agree that temperatures are 2-3°C lower than normal. They expect temperatures to drop another one or two degrees this weekend. This cold weather is likely to continue until the end of the month.
Fog Causes Travel Problems
The foggy conditions have already started to affect daily life and holiday travel in the southern parts of the state. In Bengaluru Rural, thick fog between 4 AM and 9:30 AM has made driving difficult on several main roads, including:
- NH-648
- NH-48
- Yelahanka-Gauribidanur state highway
Coldest Places in Karnataka
The cold has become much stronger across the state. Minimum temperatures have dropped sharply in many districts, making this one of the coldest periods of the season. The northern parts of Karnataka have been especially cold in the early mornings.
Here are some of the coldest places recorded on Friday night:
| District | Minimum Temperature |
|---|---|
| Bidar | 5.3°C (41.5°F) |
| Belagavi | 5.9°C (42.6°F) |
| Dharwad | 6.4°C (43.5°F) |
Other districts like Vijayanagara, Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Gadag, Haveri, and Kalaburagi also reported low temperatures, between 6.5°C and 8°C (43.7°F - 46.4°F). This shows that the cold weather is happening in many places across the state, not just a few.
