BENGALURU: Despite a slight delay, the onset of South West Monsoon in Karnataka is expected by the end of May or the first couple of days in the month of June. The monsoon, which is said to be strong in nature, is expected to add joy to the farmers who have been helped by a good spell of pre-monsoon of mango showers in the State.
G S Srinivas Reddy, Director, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Cell (KSNDMC), told The New Indian Express that monsoons are likely to arrive in Karnataka on May 29- the day when monsoon onset is expected in Kerala, or a day later on May 30. “However, due to a severe cyclonic storm in Arabian Sea, the onset could be delayed by a day or two. All conditions are suitable for the onset of monsoons,” he said. The severe cyclonic storm, which is moving away from the West Coast of India towards Oman, will have no impact on monsoon, he said.
To a question, he said that the conditions witnessed during the onset of monsoon last year were unlikely to be repeated. “Last year, we had a seven-day delay as the monsoon took a lot of time to advance Northwards after reaching Kerala. Compared to the monsoon conditions last year, it is stronger this year and is expected to reach Karnataka in the first few days of June itself,” he said.
Best pre-monsoon season
Data also indicates that Karnataka has had the best pre-monsoon season in the past six years at least. According to KSNDMC, the State has received around 39 per cent excess rainfall in the season, as of May 23. While the State receives an average of 101.6 mm rainfall between March 1 and May 23, it has received 140.87 mm till date.
Between 2013 and 2017, highest pre-monsoon was recorded in 2014. Coastal Karnataka has received 186 mm against a normal of 114.5 mm as of May 23- an excess of 62 per cent during the ongoing season.Malnad and South Interior Karnataka have received 48 per cent excess and North Interior Karnataka districts have received about 16 per cent excess.
