Mumbai, May 7 — The city of Mumbai was welcomed with thunderstorms and rain on Wednesday morning, after gusty winds and moderate rains lashed the city and adjacent districts such as Thane in the evening hours on Tuesday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a nowcast warning at 10:15 AM for Mumbai and Thane districts, warning of thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds of 40–50 km/h in scattered places.
Wind speeds in adjoining Palghar district are likely to be between 50–60 km/h. The IMD has suggested citizens take precautions while venturing out.
Rain to Continue for Next Few Days
According to the IMD, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is expected to experience thunderstorms and rain for at least the next two days. A yellow alert remains in effect for Mumbai through Thursday morning, with forecasts indicating light rain in isolated parts of the city over the next 3 to 4 days.
Temperature Drop After Hot Spell
Weather statistics indicate that Santacruz observatory and Colaba coastal station recorded a maximum of 34°C on Tuesday. The minimum temperature was 29°C, more than 2°C above the average season. But the rains brought relief after a sultry day.
Some areas of the city—such as Dahisar, Andheri, Powai, and Lalbaug—witnessed gusty winds, followed by lightning and thunder, and finally, moderate rainfall late Tuesday evening. Nearby Thane too witnessed similar weather.
Disruptions in Train Services and Traffic
Local train services were disrupted by the downpour and gusty winds. Some of the trains were temporarily stopped by an obstruction formed because of a cloth piece getting stuck in the Overhead Equipment (OHE) on the Dahisar up line, Indian Railways officials said.
Furthermore, tree collapses were also witnessed in some areas. Mumbai Traffic Police confirmed that a tree collapsed at Agar Bazar Junction in Dadar, resulting in traffic jams.
Yellow Alert Issued; Cloudy Skies to Continue
The IMD has placed Mumbai and Konkan regions under a yellow alert till Thursday morning, mentioning the possibility of thunderstorms with lightning, moderate rains, and strong winds. Though no alert is issued beyond Thursday, meteorologists are forecasting sustained cloud cover and light drizzle until Friday.
Cause: Western Disturbance System
Experts have attributed the unusual rains to a robust western disturbance system in the lower levels of the atmosphere, which is now impacting weather conditions over Konkan. The Western Disturbance, which was initially over central Pakistan, is now over West Rajasthan and its adjoining regions.
The weather system is likely to bring a 2–3°C temperature dip, providing relief from the heat of May for some time.
May Rainfall Trends
The Konkan area, which encompasses Mumbai, generally experiences pre-monsoon rains in April and May. According to IMD statistics, Mumbai saw 21.3 mm of rainfall in May 2024, a significant improvement from 3.4 mm in May 2023.
In the past, the wettest May was in 2000 with 388 mm of rain, while the maximum rainfall on a single day in May was on May 18, 2021, when the Santacruz station registered 230 mm.
Thunderstorms Reported Elsewhere
Besides Mumbai, thunderstorms accompanied by hail were also reported in North Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada on Monday, as per reports from IMD.
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