Heavy rain lash Mumbai, over 50-mm rain in several pockets

In a respite from the heat, the city and its neighbouring districts of Thane and Navi Mumbai experienced heavy showers along with thunderstorms, late on Friday, for the fourth consecutive day. Data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) showed that between 8 pm and 9 pm, the heaviest rain was recorded in Byculla at 64 mm, followed by 62 mm rain in Wadala, 55 mm rain in Grant Road, 54 mm rain in Sewri, 49 mm rain in Haji Ali, 48 mm rain in Worli, 43 mm rain in Malabar Hill and 40 mm rain near Nair Hospital.

Meanwhile, light showers swept the eastern as well as the western suburbs of the city during the evening. While the BMC maintained that railway, subways and BEST traffic operated without disruptions, waterlogging was reported in pockets like the Eastern freeway in what affected traffic movement during the peak travel hour.

The showers came along the heels of the IMD at 7 pm issuing a yellow nowcast warning stating the possibility of thunderstorms with lightning, moderate rain and gusty winds over a period of three hours.

Meteorologists from IMD Mumbai have indicated that intermittent spells of moderate rainfall are here to stay over the weekend with the weather bureau placing Mumbai, Thane and Palghar districts under a yellow alert until Sunday. While no alerts have been issued after the weekend, light rain and thunderstorm activity is poised to continue until Tuesday.

The weather bureau has attributed the sudden uptick in rain activity to a depression over the southeast Arabian Sea as well as a well-marked low pressure area over southwest Bay of Bengal. “The systems have led to the incursion of moisture. Furthermore, the higher temperatures during the day time have led to the development of thunderstorms during the evening,” an IMD scientist said.

The spell of showers have ushered in much respite from the rising pollution levels. While the AQI had spiked to 212 (poor category) on Tuesday morning after Diwali festivities, rain activity which commenced Tuesday evening cleared the skies and led to a dip in AQI levels to 134 (moderate category) on Wednesday morning. Amid continued showers over the past three days, the AQI further improved on Friday morning when data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed that overall AQI stood at 74 in Mumbai, which is categorised as satisfactory.

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