Rain symptoms like retreating Monsoon baffle residents in Karnataka coast

Team Udayavani, Aug 19, 2024, 8:28 AM IST

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Mangaluru: Is the monsoon season already over? This question has started troubling both farmers and the general public. Recently, weather patterns have shown signs that seem to confirm this change. The intensity of the monsoon has reduced, leading to four to five days of sunshine. However, now clouds have formed and rain has begun, resembling the winter season instead of the monsoon.

Traditionally during South West monsoon, clouds start forming from the west, bringing rain. However, for the past few days, clouds have been forming from the east, resulting in rainfall. Without any prior warning, local clouds have formed, leading to heavy rainfall, especially in the afternoons, often accompanied by thunderstorms.

For instance, over the past few days, there has been heavy rain during the evenings and nights in areas like Panja, Kollamogaru, and Subramanya. On Saturday, there was thunderous rain in Udupi.

Why is this happening?

It is being suggested that changes in weather patterns are the cause of this phenomenon. The monsoon winds are now entering Karnataka via Tamil Nadu, after moving through Sri Lanka and reaching the Bay of Bengal.

The local clouds formed due to this shift, coupled with those coming from the Bay of Bengal, are causing heavy rainfall in various places. This has increased moisture levels in regions like Kerala, leading to lower temperatures and higher pressure. The clouds from the Arabian Sea are avoiding high-pressure areas and moving towards low-pressure zones.

Floods in Sullia, but bright sunshine in Mangaluru and Udupi!

Typically, monsoon rains are uniform across the coastal regions. However, this year, while there have been flood-like situation in areas around Sullia, Mangaluru and Udupi have been experiencing sunshine. From August 14 to 17, the rainfall in Sullia was significantly higher than in Mangaluru and Udupi.

Impact on Winter Rainfall

It is too early to predict whether this will impact the winter rainfall. Weather patterns are no longer predictable, and they change frequently, according to meteorologists.

“Clouds usually move based on wind direction. When there are weather anomalies, clouds can sometimes move in the opposite direction. Typically, during the southwest monsoon, clouds move from the southwest. However, when the monsoon weakens along the coast, clouds might move in the opposite direction, from the east instead of the west, said C.S. Patil, Director and Scientist, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru Division

Localized Heavy Rain

Recently, weather changes have been observed within a range of 30 to 40 kilometers. This is known as a “localized effect.” When the moisture content is high in one area, clouds form, resulting in heavier rain. Additionally, there have been fluctuations in temperature within different parts of the same city, according to meteorological department officials.