India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts overcast skies and light to moderate rainfall across the city. While temperatures remain marginally below average, a combination of weak monsoon winds and persistent humidity is expected to keep the discomfort index high.
As of Friday, isolated regions in Mumbai experienced brief but substantial rain, even as large parts of the city and surrounding districts remained dry or merely overcast. According to official data, since the beginning of the monsoon season, Mumbai has recorded modest rainfall — Colaba logging 30 mm and Santa Cruz registering 47.1 mm over six days. Friday’s rainfall followed this subdued trend, with Santa Cruz recording 14 mm while Colaba remained dry.
The IMD has issued a ‘yellow alert’ for Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra including Jalgaon, Nashik, Pune, and Nagpur, warning of potential isolated thunderstorms and intermittent rainfall through the weekend. While temperatures hovered around 32.2°C in Colaba and 31.7°C in Santa Cruz, elevated humidity levels made the weather feel considerably warmer and more oppressive.
Experts attribute the prevailing weather conditions to oligocyclonic circulation in the upper atmosphere and a delayed intensification of southwest monsoon winds, which are currently weak over the Konkan coast and adjoining central India. This lack of strong monsoon momentum is also contributing to the sporadic and unpredictable rainfall patterns being observed across the state.
Beyond Mumbai, similar overcast and moist conditions have been reported across a swathe of peninsular India, stretching from Madhya Maharashtra to Telangana. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are also experiencing cloudy skies, signalling a broader regional stagnation in monsoonal advancement. The IMD has not yet confirmed any immediate strengthening of the monsoon current, although models suggest potential improvements next week.
This uneven distribution of rain poses challenges not only to urban commuters but also to the farming community across Maharashtra. While some farmers are struggling to time their sowing season amid the uncertainty, others are adapting innovatively. For instance, one farmer in interior Maharashtra has reportedly turned to organic cultivation of Iranian dates, generating notable returns despite the unstable rains — offering a testament to resilience in the face of climate unpredictability.
With civic authorities on standby and stormwater drains being monitored for overflow risk, there has been no major flooding reported so far. However, officials are urging citizens to stay alert, especially during peak commuting hours. The yellow alert remains in effect through Sunday, with updates expected should there be a change in the weather pattern.
While the rains may bring a brief respite from the heat, they also serve as a reminder of the growing impact of climate volatility on India’s urban centres. As monsoon patterns shift and become increasingly unpredictable, cities like Mumbai must invest more urgently in resilient, zero-carbon infrastructure that can better adapt to extremes — not just in the skies, but in the systems that lie beneath.
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