Marked by flooding and downpour in parts of Karnataka, this year’s monsoon season between June and September saw the State receiving 27% excess rainfall. As against the normal 840.7 mm, the State received 1,063.9 mm rainfall during the period. No district had deficient rainfall this time.
Data for the period from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru, showed that the southwest monsoon saw huge departures from normal in parts of north interior Karnataka (NIK) and south interior Karnataka (SIK). In fact, most districts had excess rainfall (over 20% to 59%), while four had large excess (over 60%). Only seven districts had what is categorised as normal rainfall: +19% to -19%.
Among districts in SIK, which had an overall departure of 20%, Chitradurga got 81% more rainfall than normal, while the generally drought-hit Kolar got 78% more rainfall than normal. Tumakuru received 56% excess rainfall, Bengaluru Rural 53%, and Ballari 47%.
Districts that usually receive heavy rainfall had more or less normal rainfall. Kodagu, which receives the highest rainfall among SIK districts with a normal of 2,257.4 mm, had a 4% departure, and it was the same with Chikkamagaluru, which usually receives 1,591.3 mm. Bengaluru Urban had 23% more rainfall than normal.
In NIK, Bagalkot saw 74% excess rainfall, receiving 615 mm as against the normal 353.8 mm, Kalaburagi had 64% more rain, and Koppal 59% excess rainfall. Except Bidar and Haveri, all other districts in the subdivision had over 40% more rainfall than normal.
Coastal Karnataka saw some of the least departures, with the highest being in Udupi which had 30% excess rainfall. The district witnessed massive flooding and damage towards September-end.
Last year, Karnataka received an average 23% more rainfall than normal between June and September. The monsoon season had also extended into October. The northeast monsoon made an entry into peninsular India on October 16.
The year before last, the post-monsoon season had posted deficiency in rainfall across the State, with the period from October to December in 2018 recording 48% deficiency.
Northeast monsoon
Meanwhile, the onset of the northeast monsoon, which is crucial for Tamil Nadu and brings rainfall to south-interior Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh, is forecast for around October 20, plus or minus seven days. Last year, its onset was delayed.
“After the retreat of the southwest monsoon, the northeast monsoon sets in. The normal onset is around October 20, plus or minus seven days. Almost 48% of Tamil Nadu’s rainfall is from this,” C.S. Patil, director, IMD, Bengaluru, said.
