Bengaluru logged 111.1 mm rain during Karnataka’s 2024 monsoon onset

Bengaluru received 111.1 mm of rain on June 3, 2024, as thunderstorms swept Karnataka during the onset of the southwest monsoon, a study by scientists from the India Meteorological Department and Bangalore University found.

The monsoon entered Karnataka on June 1 that year and covered the state by June 6. The scientists said strong southwesterly winds, a strengthening Somali Jet and moisture from the Arabian Sea created conditions for storms across Karnataka.

Balloon observations over Bengaluru showed a highly unstable atmosphere. Convective Available Potential Energy, which measures energy available to rising air, reached 2,501 joules per kilogram, while Convective Inhibition fell to zero. The researchers recorded a Lifted Index of -3.67 and a K-Index of 42.9, indicating a strong likelihood of severe thunderstorms over the Bengaluru region.

Thunderstorms can form within hours and affect small areas, making them difficult to forecast. The study says forecasters can use broad wind patterns, satellite cloud-top images and atmospheric-stability readings together to identify earlier signals for warnings during monsoon onset.