The Regional Meteorological Centre Mumbai has issued a yellow alert for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, rain and gusty winds over the weekend, while an orange alert has been issued for parts of Vidarbha and Marathwada. The forecast also cautions that heavy rain could cause localised flooding in low-lying and urban areas and disrupt transport and municipal services.
For Mumbai city and its suburbs, the weather office has forecast a partly cloudy sky over the next 24 hours, with one or two spells of light to moderate rain or thundershowers. These may be accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph. Maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to remain around 33 degrees Celsius and 26 degrees Celsius respectively.
Mumbai will remain under a yellow alert on Sunday, with heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 40–50 kmph likely at isolated places in Mumbai and Thane. Palghar may also experience thunderstorms and gusty winds of 40–50 kmph, while Raigad is expected to receive light to moderate rain.
Over the next 48 hours, the city is likely to see generally cloudy conditions, a few spells of moderate rain or thundershowers and isolated intense rainfall. Temperatures are forecast to be around 31 degrees Celsius and 26 degrees Celsius. The city is expected to move into the green category from September 14 to 18, indicating that no warning has been issued for that period.
The forecast extends beyond the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Palghar is expected to receive heavy rainfall, while Ratnagiri may see moderate rain and Sindhudurg light to moderate rain. On Sunday, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Dhule, Nandurbar and the ghats of Nashik, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 40–50 kmph.
An orange alert has been issued for Chandrapur and Gadchiroli in Vidarbha, as well as Parbhani, Hingoli and Nanded in Marathwada. These areas may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds. In Vidarbha, Bhandara, Gondia, Nagpur, Wardha, Washim and Yavatmal are also expected to experience thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and gusty winds at isolated places.
The weather office has warned that intense rain may result in localised flooding in low-lying and urban areas, uproot weak trees and disrupt transport and municipal services. The forecast also identifies possible damage to standing crops and the risk of lightning strikes during thunderstorms.
Residents have been advised to avoid open fields and tall trees during thunderstorms, unplug electrical appliances and follow subsequent bulletins issued by the India Meteorological Department. The next weather updates will determine whether warnings change as the system moves across Maharashtra.
