After four days of heavy rain, light showers in Mumbai

A family, rescued by authorities, returns home in Palghar district Wednesday. (Express Photo by Prashant Nadkar)

After four days of continuous and heavy rainfall, Mumbai had a breather on Wednesday with intermittent light showers reported in some parts of the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also withdrew its heavy rainfall warning for the city on Wednesday evening. After receiving 114.4 mm rainfall in the suburbs and 41 mm rainfall in the island city in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Wednesday, the suburbs received only 4.5 mm rainfall and Colaba received only 1.2 mm rainfall till 5.30 pm on Wednesday. The intensity of rain is likely to further decrease on Thursday and may again pick up by Friday when IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rain at a few places.

Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a warning of heavy rainfall at Palghar and Thane on Saturday and Sunday and at Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg on Sunday. The areas are expected to receive extremely heavy rain at isolated places on these days. “The circulation over Gujarat region is still there but it is not likely to affect the weather in Mumbai anymore,” said Shubhangi Bhute, a senior scientist at IMD. “Low pressure developing over Bay of Bengal is likely to bring heavy rainfall of more or less the same intensity that we experienced in the past three days. It is expected to continue till Saturday,” Bhute added.

Most parts of the state have received normal to above normal rainfall so far with only Nandurbar and Sangli districts facing a deficiency. Palghar, Thane, suburbs of Mumbai and the city recorded largely excess rainfall. Nagpur and Washim districts also received largely excess rainfall this season. “Overall, the state has so far received normal to above normal rainfall,” said K S Hosalikar, Deputy Director General, Western Region, IMD Mumbai.