With Sunday showers, Mumbai crosses seasonal average mark

The Met department forecast heavy rainfall at isolated places for Mumbai on Monday. For Thane and Palghar, it issued an orange alert (authorities to be alert and prepared), with forecast of heavy to very heavy rain at a few places.

Rainfall received between August 3 and 4 is the third extreme rainfall recorded since July 1. While on July 1 and 2, 375.2 mm was recorded in 24 hours, July 26 to July 27 saw 219.2 mm of rainfall. Between August 3 and 4, suburban Mumbai recorded extremely heavy rainfall. Malad received over 400 mm in 24 hours, followed by Powai and Mulund recording over 300 mm of rainfall during the same time period.

Alibaug, a coastal town south of Mumbai, on Sunday broke all-time record of rainfall in 24 hours in August. The highest August rainfall in 24 hours for Alibaug was recorded in 1970, when it received 311.2 mm. Between 8.30 am on Saturday and 8.30 am on Sunday, Alibaug recorded 410.9 mm.

Other parts of Maharashtra also recorded extremely heavy rainfall during the same period — Thane (372 mm), Kalyan (307.60 mm), Malegaon (373 mm) and Mahableshwar (305.8 mm). On Sunday, between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, Matheran, the hill station near Mumbai, recorded 113 mm of rainfall and Nasik recorded 98.5 mm during same time period.

The rainfall intensity reduced in Mumbai suburbs and the city on Sunday. Mumbai suburban weather observatory recorded 19.5 mm from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, while the island city recorded 9.2 mm during the same time period.

The weather bureau said rainfall is likely to continue for the next 24 hours and decrease thereafter over Konkan (including Mumbai) and adjoining ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra during the next two days.

The Met department also issued warning to fishermen. “Strong wind with speed reaching 40-55 kmph gusting likely to prevail along and off Maharashtra-Goa coast till August 5. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea,” read an advisory by the IMD-Mumbai.

Private weather forecasters said rain intensity in Mumbai would be less from Monday to August 9, as the monsoon will shift to interiors of Maharashtra.