Mumbai sees continuous rainfall; IMD issues orange category storm warning

The IMD has issued an orange category storm warning for Mumbai for the next four days, indicating “Moderate to heavy rain/thundershowers in city and suburbs with possibility of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places”

Mumbai woke up to continuous rainfall on Monday, a day after a second thunderstorm deposited nearly 235mm of rain over the city in just a few hours. Rainfall intensity has markedly reduced, however, with the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) monitoring station in Santacruz recording 70.4mm of rain in the 24 hours ending 8.30am Monday. Some passing thunderstorms, expected to be the last such event of this month, are likely to occur with less intensity than Sunday.

Waterlogging due to heavy rain at Mulund in Mumbai. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

The IMD has issued an orange category storm warning for Mumbai for the next four days, indicating “Moderate to heavy rain/thundershowers in city and suburbs with possibility of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places.” The latest Doppler radar observation from Mumbai this from around 9.15am [on Monday] indicates formation of a dense cloud cover over parts of Thane, Raigad, Mumbai suburbs and the adjoining Arabian Sea. The IMD has already issued Nowcast for possibilities of intense spells.

Waterlogging on railway tracks at Kalwa station. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo)

An off shore monsoon trough near the Maharashtra coast is likely to remain vigorous for the next few days, and Mumbai will continue to see an active monsoon spell till at least July 23, according to officials and independent forecasters. The next week will also have another two to three active spells of rain under the influence of more typical synoptic features, namely a low pressure area forming over the Bay of Bengal between July 20-21.

Waterlogging near Masunda lake in Thane. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo)

With seasonal rainfall of the city now standing at 1,881mm, the city has recorded rainfall at about 85%of the seasonal long period average (up to September end). In the past two days alone, the city has recorded 305mm of rainfall. Temperature wise, the daily maximum is expected to remain at 29 degrees Celsius over the next two days while the minimum temperature is expected to be around 24 degrees Celsius.