Rain threatens to drench Navratri fun

Ahmedabad: Garba lovers, brace yourselves! The much-anticipated rain seems ready to crash the Navratri celebrations, just as many had feared. A well-marked low-pressure system over the east-central Arabian Sea off the Karnataka-Goa coast in the Arabian Sea persisted on Thursday. The associated cyclonic circulation is expected to bring rain to parts of Gujarat, threatening to dampen the festive spirit for the next 2-3 days, as indicated by the India meteorological department (IMD) forecast.
The weather shift made itself apparent as Amdavadis woke up to a cloudy sky, followed by a light drizzle on Thursday. According to the IMD, the maximum temperature dropped to a cool 30.7°C, 5.3 degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature rose to 27.3°C, 4 degrees above normal.
For Friday, the IMD predicts light rain in parts of the city, with the maximum temperature expected to rise to 34°C and the minimum to hover around 26°C. Across Gujarat, temperatures are expected to dip by 2-3°C over the next couple of days.
The IMD predicts heavy rain for Surat, Navsari, Dang, Valsad, Tapi, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Gir Somnath districts on Friday and Saturday, with lighter showers expected in central and southern Gujarat, as well as coastal Saurashtra. Relief is in sight as the rain is expected to taper off by Oct 14.
Despite the downpour, garba organisers are not giving up. Many have set up covers or found alternative venues to keep the celebrations alive, especially in areas expecting heavier rain.
Kodinar (Gir Somnath) received 64mm of rain on Thursday, while Gandevi (Navsari) got 43mm, and Sutrapada (Gir Somnath) saw 32mm. By 6pm, 45 talukas had recorded 1mm or more of rainfall.