Cumulative rainfall for May higher than normal in South-interior Karnataka 

South-interior Karnataka districts experience early, heavy monsoon rains, leading to significantly above-normal rainfall levels in May.

The early onset of southwest monsoon and heavy rains that lashed South-interior Karnataka including Mysuru, Kodagu, Mandya, and Hassan has resulted in these districts recording higher than normal rainfall during the month of May.

The months from March to May are typically classified as the pre-monsoon period. However, this year, the southwest monsoon arrived nearly 10 days ahead of its normal schedule, and the heavy rains in the region were largely driven by monsoonal activity rather than typical pre-monsoon showers.

According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), the rainfall recorded in May falls under “large excess” category in almost all the districts in the region except Mysuru and Chamarajanagar. While Kodagu has recorded 644 mm of rainfall from March 1 to May 29, which is 178% above normal, Hassan has received 359 mm of rainfall during the same period, and it is 131% above normal.

Mandya with 261 mm has received rainfall 71% higher than normal, while Mysuru has received 269 mm, which is 41% above normal. While rains in Kodagu, Hassan, and Mandya come under “large excess” category, Mysuru is classified under “excess’’ while only Chamarjanagar comes under “normal” category in terms of rain.

Consequently, both the monthly data for May and the cumulative rainfall figures for the pre-monsoon period (March to May) are substantially higher than usual, making it difficult to compare with historical averages or draw meaningful trends for pre-monsoon behaviour this year, according to weather experts.

Meanwhile, rains in Kodagu have subsided compared to the intensity of monsoon activity last week. The district has received 50.45 mm of rainfall during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Friday. The cumulative rainfall from January till date is 693.72 mm against 329.02 mm of rainfall recorded last year.

In Mysuru, the average rainfall received during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Friday was 15.4 mm against a normal of 3.2 mm. The rainfall in the district was uniform and widespread and covered the hinterland. Not a single taluk has received below normal rains underlining that monsoon was in an active phase in the region.