Last reviewed 4 Nov 2026 · 2 min read
1. Climate type and seasons
Karnataka has a tropical monsoon climate.
| Season | Months | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | March – May | Hottest in the north-east (Kalaburagi, Raichur, Ballari); pre-monsoon showers — blossom showers in the coffee districts help coffee flower |
| South-west monsoon | June – September | Brings most of the rain; very heavy on the coast and Western Ghats |
| North-east monsoon (retreating) | October – December | Useful rain in the south-eastern districts (Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru, Chamarajanagar) |
| Winter | December – February | Mild and dry |
2. Rainfall distribution
- The Western Ghats force moist south-west winds to rise, so the coast and Malnad get very heavy rain — Agumbe (Shivamogga) is called the "Cherrapunji of South India".
- East of the Ghats the air descends and dries: the northern Maidan lies in the rain shadow and gets the least rain.
- Hence the north-eastern and central districts (Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Koppal, Chitradurga, Tumakuru) are drought-prone.
RememberWhy Bengaluru is pleasant
Bengaluru sits at about 900 m on the plateau, so it is cooler than the coast and the northern plains, and gets rain from both monsoons.