Heavy rains likely next two days, IMD issues orange alert for city

India Meteorological Department issues 'orange' alert for Mumbai, warning citizens of widespread rain in excess of 115.5mm in 24 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mumbai: Warning citizens to brace for heavier showers on Tuesday and Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘orange’ alert for the city.

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The alert implies widespread rain in excess of 115.5mm in 24 hours. This follows relatively calmer weather on Sunday and Monday.

“These is a possibility of the monsoon being further enhanced over the Konkan region, including over Mumbai and satellite cities, as it marches northward. There is a chance of heavy to very heavy rain and IMD has accordingly issued warnings for Konkan, Vidarbha and Madhya Maharashtra too,” said KS Hosalikar, a senior scientist with the IMD in Pune.

From getting 176mm of rain in 24 hours as of 8:30am on Sunday, the city got an additional 47mm of rain in the subsequent 24 hours ending Monday morning. This made a significant dent in the city’s monthly rainfall deficit, which stood at 95% on June 21. As of Monday morning, however, the deficit stood at 42%, as per IMD data.

Since June 1, Mumbai’s base weather station in Santacruz has received 253.1mm of rain, against the seasonal normal of 435.5mm.

The showers have also had a positive effect on air pollution, with the city recording ‘satisfactory’ air on Monday, with an air quality index (AQI) value of 73. This was a slight deterioration from Sunday’s AQI of 61.