Karnataka Faces 35% Rainfall Deficit in Southwest Monsoon Season

BENGALURU: Karnataka has recorded a significant 35% rainfall deficit during the ongoing southwest monsoon season, according to data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC). Between June 1 and June 18, the state received 71 mm of rainfall, compared to the normal average of 109 mm for this period. The monsoon officially arrived in the state on June 4.

The rainfall distribution across Karnataka has been uneven. South interior Karnataka recorded 44 mm of rainfall, slightly below the normal 48 mm, marking a 6% deficit. North interior Karnataka received 53 mm, falling short of the normal 63 mm, resulting in a 16% deficit. The Malnad and coastal regions experienced more severe shortfalls, with Malnad receiving 89 mm against a normal of 178 mm (-50%) and the coastal areas recording 191 mm compared to the usual 419 mm (-54%).

District-level data reveals a mixed pattern. Five districts, including Bagalkot, Raichur, Ballari, Chickballapur, and Tumakuru, recorded large excess rainfall. Twelve districts, such as Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, and Mandya, received normal rainfall. However, 12 other districts, including Kalaburgi, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, and Mysuru, faced rainfall deficits. Shivamogga and Bidar saw large deficits. At the taluk level, 17 taluks recorded large excess rainfall, while 24 and 66 taluks received excess and normal rainfall, respectively. In contrast, 103 taluks experienced deficit rainfall, and 30 taluks faced large deficits.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the overall rainfall for Karnataka during the southwest monsoon season (June to September) is likely to be below normal. Coastal Karnataka and south interior Karnataka are expected to see below-normal rainfall, while north interior Karnataka may experience below- to near-normal rainfall.

IMD scientist C.S. Patil stated that monsoon intensity would remain weak over the next two to three days but is expected to strengthen around June 21-22. Early next week, there is a 75% probability of rainfall in coastal Karnataka, 50% in south interior Karnataka, and 25% in north interior Karnataka.

In Bengaluru, cloudy conditions brought some respite from rising temperatures, with the maximum dropping to 26.4 degrees Celsius on Thursday. The city is expected to experience light to moderate rain and gusty winds (30-40 km/h) over the next two days, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 29 and 22 degrees Celsius, respectively.