Mumbai and the wider Konkan region are expected to experience hot and humid conditions for the next three days, with the India Meteorological Department issuing a yellow alert as the southwest monsoon withdrawal progresses across Maharashtra. The warning comes after a prolonged pause in rainfall and a sharp shortfall in Konkan’s September precipitation.
According to a report by Loksatta, the alert will apply from Friday across Mumbai and the entire Konkan region. The weather department has warned that the intensity of heat is likely to increase over the coming days, particularly after several parts of the region recorded dry conditions for an extended period.
The warning follows the recent declaration that the southwest monsoon season has ended over the country. The department expects the monsoon to withdraw from the remaining parts of Maharashtra in the coming days. The transition has already been accompanied by a rise in discomfort in parts of Konkan, where temperatures and humidity have increased towards the end of September.
The rainfall record adds a significant regional dimension to the alert. Konkan normally receives 374.1 millimetres of rain in September. This year, the region recorded 190.9 millimetres, resulting in a 49% deficit, according to the report. The reduced rainfall has contributed to dry conditions across much of the region and may intensify the effects of the current hot spell.
Rainfall was uneven across Konkan during the monsoon. North Konkan received precipitation close to its average, while parts of Ratnagiri and most of Sindhudurg recorded lower rainfall. The report also noted that the prolonged break in rainfall since August has created difficulties for farmers in the region.
For Mumbai, the alert marks a shift from the city’s prolonged monsoon conditions to a period of higher heat and humidity at the beginning of October. The change is particularly relevant in a dense urban area where built-up surfaces, limited ventilation in some neighbourhoods and daily outdoor travel can make hot and humid conditions more difficult to manage. The supplied report, however, does not provide city-specific temperature forecasts or details of any municipal response.
The yellow alert is expected to remain in place for the next three days, while the weather department’s broader forecast points to a further increase in heat intensity across parts of Konkan. The next significant development will be the progression of the southwest monsoon’s withdrawal from Maharashtra and the region’s rainfall pattern after the dry spell.
