Southwest monsoon off to a better start in Karnataka after drought in 2023
The Hindu
While Coastal Karnataka had a 50% departure from normal, the figure for North Interior Karnataka was 55%, and for South Interior Karnataka, the figure was 56%.
Following poor rainfall 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 sub-divisions reported deficiency in rainfall, the overall departure from normal for Karnataka as a whole was nil. The State received 184.8 mm versus the normal 184.4 mm.
This is good news in comparison to a drought-hit 2023, when, between June 1 and 30, there was a 53% departure from normal in Karnataka. All Met sub-divisions had recorded large deficiencies in 2023.
While Coastal Karnataka had a 50% departure from normal, the figure for North Interior Karnataka was 55%, and for South Interior Karnataka, the figure was 56%.
Following a poor spell of the southwest monsoon in 2023, many parts of Karnataka, including the capital Bengaluru, went through a water crisis in the summer of 2024.
In 2022, the departure from normal in June (30 days) was 19% while the corresponding figure in 2021 was 13%.
However, as has been the norm in recent years, anomalies were seen district-wise. Districts that traditionally receive heavy rainfall reported deficiency while those that record lower quantum saw a large departure from normal.
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