City may witness its lowest June rainfall in 5 years

MUMBAI: A lull in rain activity over the past 10 days may lead to deficient rain in Mumbai for June with the possibility of the lowest June rainfall in five years.

While Mumbai has so far recorded just over 340 mm rain in June 2020, June rainfall was 515.1 mm in 2019, 792.5 mm in 2018, 523.2 mm in 2017, 695.2 mm in 2016, 1106.7 mm in 2015, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

During June 2014, Mumbai witnessed its lowest June rain over the past 10 years at 87.3 mm, while the second-lowest was during June 2012 at 298.5 mm. The all-time lowest June rainfall was in 1972 at 0.2 mm followed by 1995 at 82.2 mm.

This year, the Santacruz weather station, representative of the suburbs and Mumbai, has so far recorded 344.4 mm rain between June 1 and June 28 (5.30pm), against the normal rain of 449.6 mm or rainfall deficiency of 23%.

It will take an additional 148.7 mm rain between Monday and Tuesday for the city to meet its monthly target of 493.1 mm average June rainfall).

However, the weather bureau has predicted only light to moderate showers for both days but an increase in rain intensity is expected between July 3 and 5.

During the same period (June 1 to June 28 5.30pm), Colaba weather observatory, representative of south Mumbai, recorded 389.9 mm rain against the normal rain of 496.5mm, which means rain deficiency of 21.5%.

Monsoon onset this year was declared on June 14, two days later than its new normal onset date of June 11.

So far there has been only one intense rain spell on June 18 that led to 41 mm rain in the suburbs