There is good and bad news on the State’s monsoon front. Going by the rainfall statistics so far, two parts of the State have received “normal rainfall” — north-interior Karnataka and coastal Karnataka. But, rainfall in south-interior Karnataka, crucial to the Cauvery basin, remains “deficient”.
On July 19, the monsoon covered the entire State for the first time since the season began. However, it is said to have weakened across the State now.
“The essential systems required for the monsoon to progress is absent. It rains when there is an off-shore trough that travels across the Western Ghats, covering Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala, which is absent now,” said S.M. Metri, Director, IMD Karnataka.
The weak rainfall in coastal Karnataka had also affected the prospect of rainfall in south-interior Karnataka, he added.
Karnataka has received a total of 344 mm so far, which is 16% lesser than normal (412 mm). However, Mr. Metri said anything above or below 19% is considered normal, which means overall, the State has had a normal monsoon.
However, the story is different when the three regions are dissected. North-interior Karnataka has fared well with 199 mm rainfall so far as against the normal 205 mm.
Coastal Karnataka has received 1,563 mm as against the normal 1,788 mm. However, south-interior Karnataka has received only 224 mm rainfall as against the normal 312 mm, which points to deficient rainfall.
But, the IMD predicts an “improvement” in the next two days, though the monsoon is expected to remain weak on Tuesday too. “It will pick up in south-interior Karnataka,” officials said.
