Monsoon clouds will leave city by weekend: IMD

By this weekend, expect rains to finally bid the city goodbye.

By this weekend, expect rains to finally bid the city goodbye.

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According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the monsoon starting withdrawing from Dahanu on Tuesday.

"Monsoon will now withdraw from Mumbai over the next few days," said VK Rajeev, director, western region, IMD. "As on today, it has withdrawn from Nagpur, Malegaon and Dahanu."

Withdrawal of monsoon is declared only if there are five clear and hot days without rain over a larger area. There has been no rainfall in the last 24 hours and weathermen have forecast partly cloudy skies with only light showers.

Though the onset of the monsoon season is definite, there is no specific date for its withdrawal. "This year, monsoon withdrawal has been delayed. Normally, it starts withdrawing in the last week of September," said Rajeev.

For the last few days, the mercury levels have been steadily rising with temperatures up to three degrees above normal for this time of the year. The city has started getting dry winds from the east and north east of Mumbai.

On Tuesday, the maximum temperature recorded in south Mumbai was 32.2 degree Celsius, which is one degree above normal.

The minimum temperatures were also up to three degrees above normal. While Colaba was one degree above normal at 26.3 degree Celsius, it was three degree above normal at Santacruz at 25.9 degree Celsius.

Humidity levels in south Mumbai was 17% above normal at 92% while suburbs witnessed humidity levels at 72%, only three percent above normal.