3 min readMumbaiAug 3, 2023 07:28 PM IST
First published on: Aug 2, 2023 at 11:37 PM IST
The city is likely to receive heavy rain on Thursday with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for Mumbai as well as its neighbouring districts of Thane and Palghar.
Even as the weather bureau sounded an yellow alert for the city indicating heavy downpour on Wednesday, it was a no-show rather, with the city and its suburbs experiencing little or no rain in the day.
Data furnished by the weather bureau showed that while the IMD’s Santacruz weather station recorded 0.8 mm rain, the coastal observatory at Colaba registered zero mm with an indication of trace rain. In meteorology, trace denotes that while the amount of downpour was greater than zero mm, the proportions were too little to be registered by standard units of measurement.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recording apparatus showed that the western suburbs received maximum rain at 2.05 mm while the eastern suburbs recorded 1.80 mm showers until Wednesday evening. During the same period, the island city division registered 0.08 mm rainfall.
According to scientists and weather experts, rain activity is slated to recede following August 3 owing to the shift in the monsoon trough.
Mahesh Palawat, a meteorologist from Skymet Weather Services told The Indian Express that while there may be moderate shower spells over the next 24 – 48 hours, rain will remain weak in Mumbai and adjoining areas for at least the next 15 days.
“We are not expecting any significant weather activity because monsoon surge is weak over western coast. Although a weak depression is over Jharkhand, its impact will also not be felt over the west coast. Unless there is a development of a significant weather system, rain will remain weak for the next 15 days at least.”
He added that owing to the El Nino effect, monsoon will remain weak over most parts of the country in August except for the Indo Gangetic plains. El Nino, as is commonly known, refers to an abnormal warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. It is known to suppress monsoon rainfall.
“Earlier in low pressure areas which developed over Bay of Bengal towards Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, during that time, there was a full impact over the western coast bringing increased, intense monsoon activity over Mumbai suburbs and other areas. However, this particular depression is moving towards the north eastern direction and away from the coast, hence its impact won’t be felt.”, added Palawat.
With the city experiencing a lull in the rains, on Wednesday morning, the water stock in the seven lakes which supply water to the city were at 77.33 percent of the total capacity. Last year, on the same day, the lake levels touched 88.87 percent whereas in 2021, the water stock touched 76.36 percent. In view of the IMD predictions of weak monsoon activity in August, the BMC has extended their 10 per cent water cut into August.
Data furnished by the weather bureau showed that while the IMD’s Santacruz weather station recorded 0.8 mm rain, the coastal observatory at Colaba registered zero mm with an indication of trace rain. 
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