After a wet July, weak monsoon rain in August | Mumbai News
Following a month of incessant showers, with the city surpassing the seasonal average of rainfall in less than two months in July, Mumbai has been recording weak monsoon spells in the month of August.
The ongoing spell of light rains is likely to continue in the upcoming week with India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a green alert for the city and its neighbouring districts until August 15.
Despite a delayed onset of monsoon this year, the city surpassed the seasonal average of rainfall in Mumbai which stands at 2318.8 mm, on July 31. However, amid weak monsoon spells, data furnished by BMC showed that Santacruz observatory recorded average rainfall of 2337 mm until Thursday, registering a marginal rise in the first few days of August.
The IMD recorded 1,769.8 mm rainfall between July 1 and 31, which was also almost double the average rain average for July which stands at 855.7 mm. In August, however, until Thursday, Santacruz observatory recorded only 18.2 mm rain. As per IMD scientists, the intensity of monsoon spell is slated to pick up pace from August 18.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Director of IMD, Mumbai, Sunil Kamble said the entire state will receive light rains in the upcoming week. “The city is experiencing subdued showers because the monsoon trough has shifted towards Himalayas which is called the break monsoon condition. The monsoon will surge again from August 18 or 19”, Kamblesaid.
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With the city experiencing light rain, the Santacruz weather station recorded 5 mm rain and Colaba observatory recorded 3 mm rain between Thursday and Friday morning. Meanwhile, in the same period, as per BMC’s Automatic Weather System, the eastern suburbs registered the maximum showers at 6.14 mm followed by the island city division with 4.39 mm rain.
Western suburbs recorded 3.45 mm rainfall. Addressing the ongoing milder spells, a meteorologist from Skymet Weather Services, Mahesh Palawat said, “We do not expect heavy showers for the next one week at least because there is no weather system over either Bay of Bengal or Arabian Sea, which will bring a monsoon surge over the west coast. On and off, there may be isolated showers but largely, the weather will remain sultry, with no immediate relief from ongoing hot weather.”
Palawat added that while one or two heavy spells of monsoons are common to Mumbai and adjoining areas in August, monsoon surge this year is unlikely over the west coast until August 20.