This year, Bengaluru has seen the worst monsoon in five years. But the good news is that Interior South and North Karnataka are not dry
While Bengalureans were ready with their raincoats and umbrellas to embrace the monsoon this year, it has turned out to be the worst monsoon for the city has seen in the last five years. The South West Monsoon, which usually begins from coastal Karnataka and which is determined by the west winds, seems to have made its halt only to South Interior Karnataka and North Interior Karnataka, but not to the city.
According to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), the percentage departure of June month rainfall from normal for Bengaluru urban district shows that, in 2012, there was a great fall in rainfall with a -82% departure being recorded. Since then, till 2017, the rainfall was in the normal range from 34% to last year’s record of 116%. But, this year, it has shown a disastrous -40% departure. In five years, Bengaluru has again received the least rainfall.
A scientist from KSNDMC told BM, “The 'normal' rainfall expected was somewhere around 71.3mm and as of June 30, we have received only 43.0mm rainfall, which is nothing but a -40% departure. This is also the lowest in the past five years.”
However, the Met department, Bangalore, said, this is because the monsoon is not ‘active’. Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Sundar M Metri, Director and Scientist at the Meteorological Department, Bengaluru, said, “If we look at the State as a whole, we have got normal rainfall. The expected was 19.7cm and we have received 18.7cm as of June 30. This is a clear indication that it is a normal rainfall. But since the wind is low from the west, the monsoon is not active much in the other parts of the state, including, Bengaluru.”
“South West Monsoons usually does not affect the city. But the rainfall has gone down only because it is not that active and it is normal in the coastal regions. That is the reason we are seeing a lot of rains in the coastal side this year,” Sundar added. According to the Met department, last year, as of June 30, Bengaluru Rural received 71.2mm rainfall whereas, Urban district received 73.9mm rainfall and highest rainfall was recorded in Kodagu district where there was a striking 542.2mm.
This year, Bengaluru Rural has received 27.6mm and Urban received 73.9mm. The highest rainfall was recorded in Kodagu district again but the record is 402.4mm which is a drastic dip from last year. Sundar added, “This again depends on the lower pressure area which should be formed in central India, where the clouds will be pulled to the whole of Karnataka. However, that has not yet happened." “We are expecting 142cm of rainfall in July. Let’s hope we receive the maximum this month because, it seems like clouds are forming well, he added.
City retains cool tag, nonetheless
Meanwhile, Bengaluru has remained cool throughout June. The temperature has not gone up. A scientist from Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre said, “Bengaluru was always cloudy throughout the month because the temperature was somewhere within 28 degrees. This is a normal temperature the city usually has and his time, as some showers was expected, there were clouds formed.”
http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/Citys-rain-drain/articleshow/59391928.cms