Mumbai: Mumbai woke up to light rains on Sunday morning, bringing relief from the recent spell of humidity. The showers, which began in parts of the city during the early hours, marked the beginning of what appears to be an active pre-monsoon phase. While the intensity was mild, the rains were accompanied by cloudy skies and cooler temperatures, offering a welcome respite for Mumbaikars bracing for the approaching monsoon.
Light To Moderate Rains For Next Few Days
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has downgraded its weather warning for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), issuing a yellow alert for Sunday, May 25. The revised forecast predicts light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds at isolated places in Mumbai, Thane and Palghar until Tuesday, May 27. An earlier orange alert for the city and a red alert for Raigad have both been scaled down, indicating a less severe weather impact than initially expected.
The weather department said the adjustment comes in response to the cyclonic system in the Arabian Sea staying farther south than anticipated, thus reducing its direct influence on Mumbai’s weather. Experts also noted a major drop in rainfall on Thursday, May 22, which helped inform the updated outlook. Despite this, signs of early pre-monsoon activity persist and may lead to an earlier-than-usual onset of the southwest monsoon in the region. Mumbai's average monsoon onset date is June 11.
Simultaneously, a low-pressure area over the east-central Arabian Sea off the south Konkan coast is gradually intensifying and could develop into a depression. As of 11:30 am on Friday, May 24, it was located near latitude 17.00°N and longitude 73.30°E, close to Ratnagiri. IMD officials reported the system was moving eastward at around 5 kmph and is expected to make landfall before continuing inland across Madhya Maharashtra. It will likely weaken into a well-marked low-pressure zone within the next 24 hours.
In South Mumbai, 6.1 mm of rainfall was recorded on Friday, while the suburbs remained dry. However, relative humidity has remained high, with Colaba and Santacruz observatories registering 94 per cent and 88 per cent, respectively. Overcast skies and intermittent drizzle are expected to continue through the weekend, especially in the evenings.
Yellow Alert Issued Across Maharashtra
Beyond Mumbai, the Regional Meteorological Center has issued yellow alerts across a wide swath of Maharashtra, including Raigad, Nashik (including ghat regions), Pune, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, and various districts in Marathwada and Vidarbha. These regions may experience thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds between 40-50 kmph at isolated locations. IMD has advised residents to stay alert, especially in lightning-prone areas and during outdoor activities.
