First pre-monsoon thundershowers of the year in Mumbai

The city woke up on Monday morning, day one of lockdown 5.0, to its first spell of the year’s pre-monsoon thundershowers, bringing some respite from the record May

The city woke up on Monday morning, day one of lockdown 5.0, to its first spell of the year’s pre-monsoon thundershowers, bringing some respite from the record May temperatures.

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The showers arrived eight days earlier than last year, when the city recorded its first spell on June 9.

Light rain with lightning flashes and thunder were witnessed across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) from 4am onwards. Between 4.30am and 8.30am, the Mumbai suburbs recorded 0.2mm rain, 2mm was recorded in south Mumbai.

The rain intensity reduced considerably post 7am in most parts of the city that witnessed drizzling. Traces of rain were recorded through the day in the city and suburbs.

The minimum night temperature in the suburbs dropped from 29.2 degrees Celsius over the weekend to 26.8 degrees Celsius, and 24 degrees Celsius in south Mumbai, which reported 27 degrees Celsius during the weekend. The maximum temperature too, fell closer to the normal mark as the suburbs recorded 34 degrees Celsius, while 31 degrees Celsius was recorded in south Mumbai.

Humidity levels were 98% in south Mumbai on Monday morning, which fell to 79% by the evening, while it was 82% and 66% during the day and evening in the suburbs. The weather bureau has predicted a cloudy sky with moderate rain or thundershowers for Tuesday morning, with the possibility of heavy rain by the evening.

HT had reported on Sunday that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted rain and thundershowers for Mumbai from June 1 onwards.

“Pre-monsoon showers over the city are under the influence of the low-pressure weather system over Arabian Sea, which is moving steadily closer to the west coast and is likely to intensify into a (weather) depression soon. It has brought relief to Mumbaiites from the high humidity experienced over the past week,” said an IMD official.

Under the influence of the prevailing weather systems in Arabian Sea, the Maharashtra coast, especially north Konkan, is very likely to experience an active wet spell between June 1 and 4, the official added.

The IMD will be releasing information later on Monday on further intensification of the weather system and where it may make landfall between north Maharashtra and south Gujarat.

The Maharashtra government on Sunday said it was prepared to deal with the tropical cyclone if it made landfall along the coastline. “A cyclone may land on our western coast in a couple of days. Though I feel this may not happen and the cyclone may change its direction, we are prepared. I am telling people from Sindhudurg to Mumbai, to be prepared. I urge our fishermen from going to the sea for four to five days,” said chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, in his address to the state on Sunday.

Meanwhile, if the weather system in Arabian Sea intensifies into a tropical cyclone, it will be the first cyclonic storm to make landfall along the Maharashtra coast during June since 1891. Only two weather depressions, one in 1948 and the other in 1980, came close to the coastline, but did not intensify into a cyclone.