Mumbai: Mumbai’s weather has been a curious mix of extremes, with the city sweltering under hot and humid conditions during the day and experiencing moderate showers with thunderstorms at night. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this trend is likely to continue until Monday, with heavy rains hitting isolated pockets of the city’s neighboring districts, followed by lighter rains in the coming days.
The IMD issued a yellow alert on Sunday, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by light to moderate rainfall and gusty winds at speeds of 30-40 km/h. Temperatures in Mumbai, however, remained relatively high, with Colaba and Santacruz weather stations recording minimum temperatures of 25°C and 25.2°C, respectively.
Despite the rainfall, the city’s daytime heat persisted. Meteorologists have attributed this heat to the influx of easterly winds, which bring warm air over the region. This, combined with the cyclonic circulations over the North Lakshadweep Islands and the Andaman Sea, has triggered the evening and night thunderstorms. The cyclonic systems in the East-Central Arabian Sea have moved away from the coast, reducing the severity of the weather from Monday onwards.
While Mumbai faces the duality of humid days and wet nights, districts across Maharashtra have also experienced heavy rain, particularly in Konkan. Over the past few days, isolated areas of Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Raigad received significant rainfall. In Ratnagiri, the IMD reported 17 mm of rain in a 24-hour period, while Sindhudurg saw up to 16 mm in some areas. In the ghats of Maharashtra, locations like Gaganbawada in Kolhapur received 20 mm of rainfall.
The IMD’s forecast for Palghar, Thane, and Raigad suggests that while thunderstorms may persist until October 22, dry weather will follow, providing some respite to these districts from October 23. Kolhapur and Satara, which have seen moderate rainfall, are expected to experience similar weather trends.
The withdrawal of the Southwest monsoon, declared on October 15, has not put a complete end to the rains in Mumbai and Maharashtra, as cyclonic circulations continue to bring in moisture from the sea.
Mumbai’s rainfall for the 2024 season has significantly exceeded the seasonal averages, especially during the months of July and September. IMD’s data showcases the disparity between the actual rainfall and the normal values for both Colaba (CLB) and Santacruz (SCZ).
In June, Colaba recorded 507 mm of rain, which is slightly below the normal of 542.3 mm, while Santacruz saw 346.9 mm compared to its normal of 537.1 mm, indicating a rain deficit at the start of the monsoon. However, the picture changed dramatically in July when Colaba received a staggering 1,401.8 mm of rainfall, almost double the normal value of 734.1 mm, marking a 26% surplus. Santacruz followed a similar trend, receiving 1,702.8 mm, far surpassing its normal of 855.7 mm, leading to a 33% excess. This surge in rainfall was likely influenced by heavy and prolonged downpours, as experienced across the city during that period.
August saw a dip, with Colaba and Santacruz both receiving less rain than expected. Colaba recorded 289.3 mm against a normal of 482.1 mm, and Santacruz logged 382.4 mm, compared to the normal 566.4 mm. Colaba saw 442.9 mm (against a normal of 336.0 mm), and Santacruz experienced 656.9 mm, significantly higher than the expected 359.6 mm.
