Southwest monsoon off to a better start in Karnataka after drought-hit 2023 

Following a poor rainfall year in 2023, the crucial southwest monsoon season in Karnataka has got off to a good start in its first month in 2024. From June 1 to June 28, while the three meteorological subdivisions reported a deficiency in rainfall, the overall departure from normal for Karnataka as a whole was nil; the State had received 184.8 mm vs the normal 184.4 mm.

Compared to last year

This is good news in comparison to a drought-hit 2023, when, between June 1 and 30, Karnataka experienced a -53% departure from normal. All met subdivisions recorded large deficiencies that year: while Coastal Karnataka experienced a -50% departure from normal, North Interior Karnataka experienced a -55% departure, and South Interior Karnataka experienced a -56% departure from normal. 

Following a poor spell of the southwest monsoon, many parts of Karnataka, including the capital, Bengaluru, experienced a water crisis in the summer of 2024. In June 2022, there was a -19% departure for 30 days, while in June 2021, there was a 13% departure.

District-wise anomalies 

However, as has been the norm in recent years, anomalies were seen district-wise. Those that traditionally receive heavy rainfall reported deficiency, while those that record lower quantum saw large departures from normal.

For instance, in the 28-day window this year, the met subdivision of North Interior Karnataka saw a surplus of 31% (128.6 mm vs. the normal 98 mm), while Coastal Karnataka saw a -12% departure from normal (688.4 mm vs. the normal 785.6 mm), and South Interior Karnataka saw a -4% departure (132.6 mm vs. the normal 137.6 mm).

The highest departures were seen in Vijayapura in NIK with a 149% departure, Chikkaballapura in SIK with a 129% departure, Ballari in SIK with 121%, Vijayanagara in SIK with 118% and Koppal with 106%. The highest deficiencies have been recorded in Shivamogga with -56% departure from normal, -45% in Hassan, -44% in Haveri and -24% in Kodagu.

Hope for normal monsoon 

C.S. Patil, Scientist and Director of IMD, Bengaluru, however, said that not only is the report card much better than the previous year at the same time but there is hope that the deficiency will be overcome for June if there is sufficient rainfall over the next two days.