Bengaluru, Nov 16 (IANS): With the north-east monsoon setting in Karnataka, chilly winds and rains turned this year's festive season wet in the state's southern region, including the Bengaluru city, said a weather official on Monday.

"As part of the north-east monsoon, a trough developed in the south-east Bay of Bengal leading to a low-pressure depression and causing rains in the state's southern region, including Bengaluru," Bengaluru weather scientist C. N. Prabhu told IANS.

Within days after the extended south-west monsoon ended on October 28, the south-east monsoon activated during the first week of November resulting in widespread rainfall from Kolar to Chamarajanagar in the state's old Mysuru region.

"A cloudy sky, strong surface winds and moderate rains are the forecast for this week in the region as favourable conditions prevail in the Bay of Bengal," said Prabhu.

With moderate to heavy rains lashing the region since November 13, the festival of lights has been wet and damp for the people reeling under the coronavirus pandemic over the last eight months.

"Being closer to northern Tamil Nadu, south interior areas of Karnataka benefit the north-east monsoon which lasts till December and help farmers in sowing of rabi crops," Prabhu added .

According to the state Meteorological Office, the southern state had 19 per cent excess rainfall from November 1-15 with 188 mm actual rainfall as against 158 mm normal rainfall.

The coastal region had 40 per cent excess rain during the first fortnight of November with 317 mm actual rainfall as against 227 mm normal rainfall.

The south interior region, however, had 3 per cent less rainfall -- 172 mm as against 174 mm rainfall.

According to the Met Office, rain is likely to occur in coastal and southern regions and at isolated places in the northern regions of the state over the next 48 hours.

Davangere in the Central region on Sunday recorded the lowest minimum temperature of 15.8 degree Celsius in the state.

Rainfall occurred at many places across the southern region with four cm in Tumkuru and Kolar districts, two cm in Chamarajanagar and Chikkamaglur districts and one cm each in Bengaluru, Mandya and Chitradurga districts.