Pre-monsoon rain to stay, yellow alert issued

MUMBAI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued a severe weather warning for Maharashtra, with all the 36 districts placed under a yellow storm warning alert, indicating a high probability of moderate to heavy showers in the next two days.

Mumbai, Thane and Palghar are expected to see thunderstorm development along with lightning, rain and gusty winds of up to 40kmph, IMD officials said.

Light showers scattered across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai on Tuesday evening, though the morning was both dry and sunny, despite official forecasts predicting light to moderate rains. As per BMC’S monitoring stations, Vikhroli Fire station received 23mm of rain between 8pm and 9pm while Kurla recorded 15mm and Goregaon 13mm.

While IMD had placed Mumbai under a green category severe weather alert on Monday, it was upgraded to yellow category by Tuesday evening.

Light to moderate rains are expected to continue till the weekend, with the entire state subject to dynamic and changing weather conditions, an IMD spokesperson said.

IMD on Tuesday also released the second stage long range forecast (LRF) for the southwest monsoon, which is expected to hit Kerala on Thursday and arrive in Mumbai around June 11. “India will receive normal to above normal rainfall which will be spatially well-distributed over the country during the upcoming southwest monsoon season,” said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, IMD’S director general, on Tuesday. The entire Konkan coast is expected to receive above normal rainfall.

Meanwhile, the daytime maximum temperature on Tuesday stood at a normal reading of 33.7 degrees Celsius, up from Monday’s 32 degrees Celsius. It is expected to touch 34 degrees Celsius by Friday, before dipping again during the weekend. As per IMD’S sevenday forecast for Mumbai, overcast skies with intermittent spells of rain will persist throughout the week.