IMD: Normal South West monsoon in Karnataka

MYSURU: India Meteorological Department’s forecast of normal South West monsoon rain in the state this year has brought cheer among farmers and authorities.
According to a press release issued by the IMD, normal monsoon is expected in Karnataka, and the prediction is based on the South West monsoon outlook season map superimposed for the state. The normal rainfall for Karnataka is 85.2cm for the South West monsoon season (June-September). The entire south peninsular India, including Karnataka, will fall in the category of normal rainfall for the season.
Long Period Average (LPA) for Karnataka is 19.9cm rainfall in June, 27.1cm in July, 22cm in August, and 16.1cm in September (with a total of 85.2cm in South West monsoon). The South West monsoon contributes 74% of annual rainfall in the state, which is 115.3cm. As the state reservoirs record highest flow this season, the IMD forecast has instilled hopes among farmers.
20% excess rain in 2022
In the 2022 season, the state recorded 20% excess rainfall in South West monsoon season. Manoj Rajan, director, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), too has said that normal South West monsoon is the forecast for for Karnataka.
According to KSNDMC data, South West monsoon entered the state on May 31 in 2022, and covered the entire state by June 16. The state received 1,019mm rainfall, as against the normal rainfall of 852mm. Rainfall during July and August was excess, while it was normal in September, and was deficit during June. The water level in KRS reservoir was increased by 18.72 feet during the season.
Badagalapura Nagendra, president of Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, said that even before the budget, they had requested chief minister Basavaraj Bommai to ensure enough supply of seeds and fertilisers for the monsoon season.
“Last year, our farmers faced a lot of problems. This year, the price of cotton seeds has skyrocketed, leaving it out of reach for many. We want the government to ensure that there will not be any issues in this sowing season,” he said.
The postive prediction comes when major dams in the Cauvery basin are seeing a dip in the water levels, leading to concerns about the supply of drinking water to Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mandya. Though the authorities said water is available for drinking purposes, they were concerned about the possible water crisis if the monsoon is delayed.