Southwest monsoon enters Karnataka, coastal districts could see heavy rainfall

The southwest monsoon entered Karnataka with moderate rainfall in Dakshina Kannada district.

"The monsoon entered Karnataka with moderate rains and gusty winds in coastal areas and south interior parts of the state, a day after it reached Kerala on Thursday. Conditions are favourable to for it to advance further into the state," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official told IANS.

A yellow alert has been issued for Saturday for Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada.


"Karnataka State is very likely to experience widespread rainfall on June 4-5. Rainfall and thundershower will continue for the next two days. Coastal Karnataka is very likely to experience widespread rainfall from June 4-6. Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada districts are very likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall for which an orange alert is issued for June 4 and a yellow alert for June 5," ANI quoted IMD Director, CS Patil as saying.

Central and northern parts of the state could witness thunderstorm and gusty winds with moderate rains on Saturday.

The southwest monsoon had entered Kerala on Thursday.

The Met department has said that a low pressure area over north Bay of Bengal could speed up the advance of monsoon to West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar.

The southwest monsoon, which supports India's agrarian economy, is expected to be normal this year.