Don't part with your umbrella yet

BANGALORE: During this pre-monsoon time, Bangalore is experiencing sudden downpour. But the met man says that the city will receive only light to moderate rainfall during the active monsoon period.
Bangalore has already got 106mm more than its average rainfall (166 mm) expected during the pre-monsoon season, from March 1 to May 31. Citizens can expect rain for atleast another three-four days, say met officials.
"These rains are mainly due to the upper air circulation in Lakshadweep and adjoining areas and the low pressure surface trough that presently extends from Vidarbha to South Tamil Nadu across Telangana and south interior Karnataka,'' they explain.
The city received 54.5 mm rainfall so far this month. This is less than 50% of its average in the last 30 years but there is hope that it will meet its target in the next few days.
COOL DAYS
The good pre-monsoon showers and heavy clouding so far have helped beat the heat. Last three days, city's maximum temperature has dipped below the normal 33 degrees celsius for May. The temperature in the city went as high as 37.6 degrees celsius in April-May 2010. But this year, it has not crossed 35 degrees celsius. The 34.6 degrees celsius recorded on April 14 is the highest so far this year.
The pre-monsoon days last year also witnessed high heat wave conditions in many parts of Karnataka. To trigger heat waves, the temperatures must soar atleast seven degrees celsius above the normal. But till date, there has been no heat wave across the state and the cool trend is expected to continue for a few more days.
GOOD MONSOON LIKELY IN STATE
State meteorological department predicts good rainfall across coastal Karnataka and Malnad regions during the South-West monsoon season that's expected to hit Kerala on May 31.
Atleast 7 of the total 30 districts will receive moderate-to-heavy rainfall during the active monsoon period. These are Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Madikeri, Chikamgalur, Hassan and Shimoga districts.
"Monsoon may begin earlier than May 31 and immediately spread to south-interior Karnataka from the coastal areas. India Meteorological Department (IMD) long-range forecast predicts normal monsoon. There will be good rainfall across the country during the next four-months equalling 98% of long period average (89 cm),'' in-charge director B Puttanna told TOI.
MONSOON EXPECTATIONS ACROSS KARNATAKA (JUNE-SEPTEMBER)
Coastal (Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada districts): 317 cm
North interior (Belgaum, Bidar, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag, Gulbarga, Koppal and Raichur districts): 49 cm
South interior (Bangalore Rural, Bangalore Urban, Bellary, Chikmagalur, Chitradurga, Kodagu, Hassan, Kolar, Mysore, Chamarajnagar, Shimoga and Tumkur districts): 67 cm
TRACKING SW MONSOON
The normal onset is June 1 in Kerala. Thereon, it takes one/two days to reach south interior Karnataka. By June 3-4, it heads northwards after covering interior Karnataka (Mysore, Chamarajnagar districts). During June 8-10, monsoon hits north interior Karnataka. By June 10-12, it's expected to cover entire Karnataka and move into Maharashtra and by end of June end or July first week, travel to Rajasthan.