Mumbai weather update: Light rainfall or thundershowers likely in city and suburbs today

Pic/Anurag Ahire

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday predicted 'light to moderate spells of rain' in Mumbai and its suburbs.

For Thursday, the IMD has issued a 'green' alert for Mumbai, predicting light to moderate rainfall.

"Light rainfall or thundershowers likely in city and suburbs today," Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Thursday.

A high tide of about 4.80 metres is expected to hit Mumbai at 12.06 pm today, stated Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The civic body also said that a low tide of about 0.81 metres is expected at 6.13 pm today.

The island city, eastern and western suburbs received an average rainfall of 0.08 mm, 0.0 mm and 0.06 mm respectively in 24 hours ending at 8 am, the civic body's data showed.

Meanwhile, barring the cumulative rainfall over the country, this year's monsoon has been anything but normal and experts point to climate change as the underlying cause.

From a cyclone with the longest lifespan in the Arabian Sea to devastating floods in parts of northwest India and the adjoining Himalayan states, as well as a prolonged break in the monsoon, the unmistakable imprints of climate change are evident this year, Mahesh Palawat, vice president (Climate Change and Meteorology) at private forecasting agency Skymet Weather told news agency PTI.

In early June, cyclone Biparjoy delayed the onset of the monsoon over Kerala and the advance over southern India and the adjoining western and central parts of the country.

Meteorologists say the cyclone experienced rapid intensification initially and maintained its strength due to an unusually warm Arabian Sea. They emphasise that cyclonic storms in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea are intensifying rapidly and retaining their potency for longer periods due to climate change.
According to a study 'Changing status of tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean', the frequency, duration, and intensity of cyclones in the Arabian Sea have increased by about 20 per cent in the post-monsoon period and 40 per cent in the pre-monsoon period.

There has been a 52 per cent increase in the number of cyclones in the Arabian Sea, while very severe cyclones have increased by 150 per cent.

The peculiarity of this year's monsoon is evident in the fact that it covered both Delhi and Mumbai simultaneously for the first time since June 21, 1961, on June 25.

In June, 377 stations across the country reported very heavy rain events (115.6 mm to 204.5 mm), the highest in the last five years, according to the India Meteorological Department data.

July saw a considerable rise in the number of heavy rain events, with 1,113 stations reporting very heavy rainfall and 205 stations experiencing extremely heavy rainfall (above 204.5 mm), both being the highest in the last five years.

(With inputs from PTI)