City sees highest August rain in nine years

MUMBAI: With another nine days to go till the end of the month, the city has recorded its highest August rainfall over the past nine years and is 46mm short of breaking the maximum monthly rain record for the decade.

The weather bureau on Friday upgraded its rain warnings for the Konkan coast, including Mumbai and parts of central Maharashtra, by issuing an orange alert (heavy to very heavy rain in isolated areas) for overnight rain between Friday and Saturday, and throughout Saturday. A yellow alert (heavy rain across isolated areas) has been predicted for Sunday.

“Enhanced rain activity is expected over the Konkan coast with gusty winds, with speed reaching 45-55kmph along and off the coast over the next 24 to 48 hours. Active monsoon conditions are under the influence of a well-marked low pressure area lying over east Madhya Pradesh and adjoining parts of central India that is drawing strong southwesterly winds and moisture over the coast and isolated areas of interior Maharashtra,” said Shubhangi Bhute, director, regional meteorological centre, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mumbai.

Meanwhile, a red alert has been issued for Pune, while the orange alert stands for all Konkan districts. A yellow alert is in place for north Maharashtra districts, Satara and Kolhapur.

Between August 1 and August 21, 5.30pm, the Santacruz weather observatory, representative of the suburbs and Mumbai, recorded 990.5mm rain.

This surpassed the August 2017 record of 950.3mm, making it the highest monthly rainfall since 2011. With heavy to very heavy rain predicted for Saturday, the city is likely to break the 10-year monthly rain record of 1,036.5 mm (August 2010).