Monsoon ends, Mumbaiites feel the heat at 37.2° Celsius

Saturday was 2nd hottest Oct day in 10 yrs; Sept saw lowest rainfall in 27 yrs

MUMBAI: As the monsoon season officially ended in Mumbai on Saturday, the day temperature escalated to 37.2 degree Celsius, five degree Celsius above normal.

The maximum temperature on Saturday was the second highest October day temperature in 10 years, and tied with the maximum temperature recorded on October 24, 2014. The highest temperature in the city so far was recorded on October 17, 2015, at 38.6 degree Celsius.

The weather bureau declared the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from the city as the withdrawal line passes from Vengurla in south Konkan and further over Karnataka. The monsoon withdrawal was declared over Maharashtra on October 3.This monsoon, Mumbai recorded 2,239.6mm rain over four months, which was 18.4mm less than the season’s average (2,258mm). The city recorded 3,029mm rain last year.

The rainfall recorded during September was lowest in 27 years.

“The state recorded 92% rainfall this monsoon, which is a weak performance,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region, India Meteorological Department (IMD).

“While Konkan recorded 99% rainfall, Vidarbha and central Maharashtra recorded 92% but Marathwada recorded deficient rain at 78%,” Hosalikar said.

This year, the monsoon officially arrived over Maharashtra on June 7 and in Mumbai on June 9. “In Mumbai, the suburbs (represented by Santacruz) witnessed almost normal rainfall, but south Mumbai (Colaba) was below normal. The deficit has been witnessed between August 23 onwards and all of September. The performance was feeble because during these two months the weather systems over of Bay of Bengal moved northwards rather than over central India, leading to a weaker monsoon as compared to previous years,” said Hosalikar. IMD predicted a clear sky for Sunday.

OPPN HITS OUT AT GOVT OVER DROUGHT FEARS

As farmers in Marathwada and north Maharashtra are finding it difficult to survive agrarian crisis, Congress has demanded that drought be announced in these two places.

“Districts in Marathwada and North Maharashtra are facing water scarcity, resulting in the loss of crops. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s project Jalukt Shivar has failed to give results. The state has not been taking any steps to offer respite to these farmers,” Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan said, while addressing a rally in Nandubar.