Mumbai on yellow alert as IMD predicts heavy rains in next 4-5 days

Mumbai: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued a yellow alert for Mumbai, predicting heavy rains in parts of Maharashtra over the next 4-5 days. According to the Meteorological Department, the southwest monsoon is likely to reach the city today. In a tweet, the Regional Meteorological Centre, Mumbai said, “Rain intensity will gradually increase over parts of Maharashtra during next 4-5 days. Weather forecast to worsen over next 5 days.”

A yellow warning indicates that residents need to stay updated about potentially severe weather. According to the India Meteorological Department, parts of Mumbai witnessed rain in the early hours of Saturday as the southwest monsoon, already delayed by over a week, is expected to reach the city today. The Meteorological Department said on Thursday that the monsoon may reach Mumbai by June 24, but a formal announcement is yet to be made.

IMD Mumbai had earlier said, “Conditions are favorable for further advance of Monsoon towards Raigad, Thane, Mumbai and Palghar. Monsoon is likely to reach Mumbai by June 24.” Normally, the monsoon in Mumbai officially starts in the second week of June. The IMD provided an update on the onset of monsoon over the country on June 18.

The Southwest Monsoon is in the process of resuming its trajectory after Cyclone Biperjoy, which has been the longest storm in the Arabian Sea. The IMD had earlier said that the delay in monsoon has resulted in rainfall deficiency in some southern states, and thus more rainfall is expected as the southwest monsoon makes its way into the states.

Meanwhile, a recent IMD bulletin states that heatwave/severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue at few/isolated places over East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana till June 21. And there will be reduction in heat. After that the conditions will continue.