13 July,2014 11:10 AM IST | | Shreya Bhandary
VK Rajeev, Director of Regional Meteorological Centre, Colaba, says showers over the next few weeks will help cover the deficit caused by late monsoon to some extent
After a dry spell, monsoon has revived much to the happiness of thirsty Mumbaikars. Mumbai and the entire Konkan stretch have witnessed good spells of rains in the past few days. Colaba recorded 11 cm of rainfall on July 10 and 10 cm on July 11, with heavy rains expected in the next 48 hours.
Also read: Heavy rains cripple life in Mumbai; waterlogging in many parts
The rainfall is due to a change in the direction of the wind over the west coast
This activity is attributed to a change in the direction of wind over the west coast, which has increased the speed of wind towards the Konkan belt. Similarly, an upper air cyclonic circulation over South Gujarat coast and a simultaneous low-pressure area forming over the north of Bay of Bengal has led to heavy rainfall over most parts of Konkan and Goa.
| VJ Rajeev |
In June this year, cyclone Namouk, which missed the coastal parts of India and diverged towards Gulf, surely saved trouble for the coastal areas in Konkan. However, the diverging winds took away most of the moisture that had accumulated in the atmosphere. This was one of the main reasons for the delayed rains this year.
The good news is that heavy rainfall will continue over the next two days and Mumbaikars can enjoy the same at their homes over the weekend. However, warnings have already been sent to fishermen and they have been asked not to venture into the sea. Similarly, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Railways and traffic control room as well as other state control rooms have been informed about the expected rainfall.
While Mumbai and some parts of Goa enjoy the incessant rains, the catchment areas, which are vital for the city's water supply, have witnessed less rainfall as of now. However, this is expected to pick up in the next few days.
While it cannot be stated with certainty, the forecast looks like rains over the next few weeks to some extent will help cover the deficit caused by late rains. This year, the worst hit were the interior parts of Maharashtra where rainfall was delayed, compared to the Konkan belt. The forecast shows that winds will push for rains to these parts as well over the next few days.
