Mumbai records highest 24-hour October rain in decade

In 2010, the city had recorded 21.9 mm of rainfall (Santacruz observatory) on October 20. The month saw 64 mm of rainfall as a whole. At 140.8 mm, the highest 24-hour rain for the month was recorded on October 4, 1988. The year also saw the all-time record October rain at 376. 6 mm.

In 2012, Mumbai had recorded 197.7 mm of rainfall across October. At 144.8 mm, Mumbai has already recorded its second-highest monthly rainfall between from October 1 to 15, this year, since 2012.

The rain picked up late Wednesday as the low pressure system approached south Maharashtra, causing widespread but moderate rain. A yellow alert with the possibility of thunderstorms and heavy rain has been issued for Friday in Mumbai, Thane and Palghar.

Widespread rainfall with thunderstorm and lightning has also been forecast over Ratnagiri, Raigad, Sindhudurg, Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Nashik, Pune, Kolhapur, Satara and Sangli districts for Friday. The intensity of the rain is likely to reduce from Saturday.

The depression over north interior Karnataka and adjoining areas of Maharashtra had moved west-northwestwards and weakened into a low-pressure area over south Madhya Maharashtra and neighbourhood on Thursday morning.

“In association with the well-marked low-pressure area over south Madhya Maharashtra and adjoining south Konkan intense rainfall activity likely to continue over parts of Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra during next 24 hours with gradual reduction thereafter,” said IMD.

In 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Thursday, maximum rainfall was recorded at Worli (110.8 mm), followed by Navi Mumbai (101 mm) and Mazgaon (97.2 mm). The rest of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region recorded rainfall between 85 mm and 50 mm.

Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Osmanabad recorded very heavy rain between Wednesday night and Thursday. Indapur in Pune witnessed 163.6 mm of rain, followed by Alibaug and Baramati (148.4 mm), Sangli (146 mm), Mahabaleshwar (131.9 mm) and Kolhapur (130.4 mm).