The pre-monsoon showers in south interior Karnataka so far have been encouraging with heavy rain above normal across the region that have created conditions ideal for agriculture.
Also, the ambient temperature in the region has reduced considerably to provide much needed relief to the people from the searing heat of the last couple of weeks. The maximum temperature hovers around 32 and 33.5 degrees Celsius while the minimum has been pegged at 21.13°C.
The cumulative rainfall in the Mysuru district from March 1 to May 24 is 31% above normal at 241.8 mm against a normal of 184.2 mm.
Within Mysuru, the rainfall has been widespread and uniform for May so far. H.D. Kote taluk received 168.3 mm of rainfall against a normal of 108.9 mm while K.R. Nagar received 128.1 mm against a normal of 101 mm. It is only Hunsur taluk which has received below normal rains so far in May. Against a normal rainfall of 104.6 mm, the taluk has received 103.2 mm. All other taluks namely Nanjangud, Periyapatana, T. Narsipura, and Mysuru taluk have received above average rains so far in the month of May.
Likewise, Mandya district has received 244.4 mm of rainfall during the same period against a normal of 158.9 mm and all the taluks have received above normal pre-monsoon rains as on May 24, according to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC). Maddur and Nagamangala taluks have received almost twice the normal rainfall for May and while Maddur has received 187.2 mm of rains against a normal of 92.2 mm, Nagamangala has received 189.5 mm of rainfall against a normal of 78.4 mm. The drought-prone Chamarajanagar district received 231.9 mm of rainfall against a normal of 200.1 mm during the period of March 1 to May 24.
In the other districts in the region, Hassan recorded 239.3 mm of rainfall against a normal of 153.6 mm, Chikkamagaluru recorded 266.3 mm of rain against a normal of 155 mm and Kodagu district received 259.3 mm against a normal of 222.9 mm.
Notwithstanding the rains, the rate of inflow into major reservoirs in the region remains insignificant. While the inflow into the Harangi is at the rate of 90 cusecs, it is 114 cusecs at Hemavathy, 815 cusecs at Kabini, while KRS has a slightly better rate of inflow which was pegged at 2,929 cusecs as perKSNDMC data.
