Using the daily rainfall data of Dharwad for the latest forty-years (1950-89), its characteri­stic variations in the form of annual, seasonal, monthly and weekly periods have been studied. The frequency of annual normal rainfall at Dharwad from 1950 to 1989 shows a decreasing trend from decade to decade, whereas the deficiency in rainfall during the last two decades is on increase. Winter contributes least and summer contributes about nineteen per cent to annual rainfall. The South-West monsoon contributes sixty one per cent with forty rainy days* whereas North-East monsoon contributes just twenty per cent spread over ten rainy days. December had the highest coefficient of variation in rainfall and July had the least. The weekly analysis of rainfall has clearly shown that the most appropriate cropping season should be between 24th and 34th standard weeks, which corresponds to most assured rainfall period Risks in rainfed farming can be minimised by adopting the findings of this study.