Bengaluru, waiting for the vertical cloud

Bengaluru: At 37.4 degrees Celsius, Bengaluru was sizzling on Thursday. And praying for a shower. Stand by for the vertical cloud formation, the dark one that causes thunderstorms, says the Met. Weather scientists put down the rising mercury to two primary causes -- the El Nino effect and the formation of 'Urban Heat Islands' in Bengaluru due to indiscriminate building activity.

"A third cause is the delay in thunderstorms. We will see a dip in temperature only after the vertical cloud formation," a Met official said. But don't believe the wild readings -- upwards of 40 degrees Celsius -- on your smartphone weather app, says the Met. Instead, download the Met's own Android app 'Mausam Vani' for an accurate reading.

All time high
Year            Highest Temp
1931            38.3
2009            37.0
2010            37.6
2012            37.5