Monsoon covers State, Ghats still wait

The southwest monsoon has covered the entire State, and most regions, except the Ghats, are seeing good to moderate rain.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director In-charge L Ramesh Babu, the Ghat regions, especially Malnad and Kodagu, are not getting good rains as winds blowing from the sea are not strong enough to carry the moisture till the ground surface. “Normally, by this time, the Ghat regions receive heavy rainfall, but this year, there has been a delay. We are expecting good rain over the Ghats regions in the coming days,” Babu said.

There is an offshore trough at mean sea level prevailing from south Gujarat to Kerala coast, which, too, is hindering the wind movement. Monsoon rain is very important in the Ghat region, not only for the ecosystem but also to meet the drinking water needs of most parts of Karnataka, especially Bengaluru. It is from the Ghat region that Cauvery and many rain-fed rivers and tributaries originate.

Babu said though Madikeri has recorded 13 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours, it is not as much as it was expected. It will improve in the coming days. Formation of systems are a common phenomenon during monsoons. They bring rain and decide the flow of winds. They persist only for a few days. Overall in State, monsoon has advanced up to north Karnataka and many places are experiencing good to very good rainfall. Thunder showers are forecast for south interior Karnataka and Bengaluru for the next 48 hours and heavy rainfall is forecast for coastal Karnataka and north interior Karnataka.