Mumbai witnessed a shift in weather on Thursday as grey skies and intermittent showers brought relief to residents following a long and unusually dry monsoon spell. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light rain and thundershowers across the city over the next few days, though heavy rainfall is expected to bypass Mumbai in favour of other regions in Maharashtra.
According to data from IMD’s observatories, rainfall has remained well below seasonal norms for Mumbai. As of Thursday morning, the Santacruz weather station had recorded no measurable rainfall, while the Colaba coastal observatory registered only 1.2 mm. Both stations have shown significant deficits in rainfall this season, with the city’s coastal zone falling short by 425 mm and the suburbs recording a deficit of 219 mm. These figures underscore how far below average July has been, a month typically known for its peak monsoon intensity.Although the broader Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including areas like Thane, began seeing increased rainfall on Thursday morning, the overall intensity remained low. The IMD issued back-to-back nowcast warnings at 6 am and 7 am, indicating the likelihood of light rain and thundershowers over the course of three to four hours. Despite the alerts, no formal warnings for heavy rainfall have been issued for the city.
While Mumbai and its adjoining districts brace for modest rainfall, several other regions in Maharashtra such as Marathwada, Madhya Maharashtra and Konkan are expected to witness moderate to heavy rainfall till August 9. Experts attribute this weather resurgence to the interaction of two active systems: an upper air cyclonic circulation over the Rayalaseema region and an east-west trough extending from the southern Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal.Neighbouring districts including Raigad and Ratnagiri have already been placed under a yellow alert, effective through Friday morning. These alerts are part of the state’s broader monsoon response strategy, as rains intensify in central and interior Maharashtra. Despite this, Mumbai may continue to miss out on significant precipitation, with only light showers predicted in the current cycle.
Meteorologists warn that while the brief return of rain may ease short-term discomfort, it may not be sufficient to compensate for the deepening seasonal deficit. Water supply, urban greening efforts, and air quality management each heavily dependent on consistent monsoon activity remain areas of concern.As climate variability increases, experts stress the importance of building urban resilience. Municipal authorities must now invest in dynamic infrastructure planning and adaptive water management policies that can withstand both excess and deficit rainfall cycles. For a city like Mumbai, which sits on a fragile ecological edge, every missed monsoon milestone has long-term implications for sustainability.
