Mangaluru, (The Hindu): Woollen blankets, not used much in the three coastal districts of the State, have made a comeback since a week, even as the maximum temperature came down by at least by 2C in the region owing to continuous downpour since a week.

Only on Wednesday, there was a little respite from the continuous downpour while Siddapura in Uttara Kannada district received 8 cm of rain till 8.30 am. Udupi’s Siddapura and Uttara Kannada’s Gerusoppa received 6 cm, while Mangaluru and Shirali in Uttara Kannada received 5 cm each.

Consequent to the continuous cloudy weather and the downpour, the maximum temperature in the coastal region has come down by at least 2C. Residents, who used to switch on fans, if not air-conditioners, have even stopped using fans during nights, said Ramachandra Kottari, a resident of Mangaluru. The minimum temperature continues to hover around 23C, while the maximum temperature hovered around 27C during the last one week.

The region, which used to witness frequent floods during the monsoon, had not witnessed even a single flood this season. Levels of the Netravati and Kumaradhara in Uppinangady in Dakshina Kannada has reached 21 mt (from MSL) as against the danger levels of 29.5 and 28.5 mt (from MSL) respectively on Wednesday. Almost all important rivers in the region, including the Phalguni (Gurupura), Swarna, Souparnika, Sharavathi, Aghanashini, and Kali have swollen, but not to the danger level.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall on Thursday and Friday in coastal Karnataka. It has also warned fishermen that there would be strong onshore winds mainly from the westerly direction with speeds reaching up to 55 kmph till Thursday morning.

Udupi district has received above normal rainfall cumulatively during this August with 867.72 mm as against the normal rainfall of 800.3 mm and last year August’s rainfall of 695.3 mm. Cumulative rainfall in Dakshina Kannada during this August however has been 807.1 mm as against the normal of 856.4 mm and last year August’s 545.5 mm. Cumulative rainfall of August in Uttara Kannada district (442.2 mm) too was a little below the normal average (598.3 mm) of August; but it was more than last year August’s cumulative rainfall of 127.1 mm.