Mumbai rains: Brace for a wet weekend, says IMD; issues yellow alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in Mumbai and neighbouring districts for the next two days. Mumbai and Thane have been placed on a yellow alert for Friday and Saturday, while Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Pune will remain on an orange alert during the same period.

According to the current forecast issued by the weather bureau, the intensity of rainfall is expected to decrease in these regions from Sunday, with IMD issuing a green alert for moderate rainfall. IMD officials had previously predicted that the city could receive 100 to 150 mm of rain over the next 24 hours starting from Thursday morning.

Waves lash the shore at Dadar, on Thursday. Pic/Satej Shinde

In the 24 hours ending Thursday at 8.30 am, IMD's Santacruz observatory recorded 69 mm of rain, while Colaba recorded 10 mm during the same period. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) automatic weather system (AWS) recorded 54 mm of rain in the island city, followed by 51 mm in the western suburbs and 48 mm in the eastern suburbs until 8 am on Thursday.

"The increase in the intensity of rain was expected from Thursday onwards, and heavy rains will be at their peak in Mumbai on Friday, July, 7" said Mahesh Palawat, a meteorologist from Skymet Weather, a private weather forecasting agency.

Rajesh Kapadia of Vagaries of Weather, while talking to mid-day, stated, "We can expect frequent showers, some heavy, on July 7. However, as the monsoon trough moves northwards, both Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra can anticipate a decrease in rain intensity after Saturday. The rainfall pattern in Mumbai is not expected to change significantly next week.

Nevertheless, due to the prevailing increased moisture content, the ghat areas are likely to experience heavy rains this weekend. In Mumbai, the rainfall between July 6 morning and July 7 evening is estimated to be around 150 mm."