Mumbai began Ganesh Chaturthi under cloudy skies on Monday as the India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for Mumbai and Thane, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places during the next 24 hours.
The alert was issued as the 10-day Ganeshotsav celebrations began across the city, with thousands of devotees expected to travel for Ganpati idol installations and related events. Intense spells of rain could lead to waterlogging and difficult commuting conditions, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
According to rainfall figures cited from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Mumbai’s island city area recorded an average of 49.55 mm of rain between 8 am on September 13 and 8 am on September 14. The eastern suburbs recorded 66.46 mm during the same period.
The warning followed intense rainfall in several parts of Mumbai on Sunday, with some locations receiving more than 100 mm of rain over 12 hours. The IMD forecast placed the maximum temperature at 25.7 degrees Celsius on Monday, while the minimum temperature was expected to remain around 24.3 degrees Celsius.
The timing of the alert is significant for the city’s festival-related movement. Devotees were bringing home idols and public mandals were carrying out installations on Monday, increasing the number of pedestrians and vehicles on roads during a period when heavy rain could affect travel conditions.
Mumbai is also expected to experience a high tide of 4.23 metres at 1.37 pm on Monday. Another high tide of 4.24 metres is forecast at 2.12 am on Tuesday, September 15. The city’s low tides are expected at 7.40 pm on Monday, measuring 0.55 metres, and at 7.48 am on Tuesday, measuring 1.55 metres.
The combination of heavy rainfall, high tides and festival travel has prompted advice for citizens and devotees to exercise caution while commuting and to monitor weather updates, especially during intense spells of rain. The IMD’s orange alert remains in force for Mumbai and Thane for the next 24 hours.
