Mumbai receives 1,184 mm of rainfall in wettest August since 2020, braces for another rainy week

Data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows that between August 1 and August 31, the city’s Santacruz weather station recorded the highest August rainfall since 2020, when Mumbai received 1,240 mm of rainfall in the month.

Mumbai witnessed its wettest August in 1958, with 1,254 mm of rainfall. (Illustration by Abhishek Mitra)

Of the 1,184 mm of rainfall received this month, over 800 mm was recorded within five days, between August 16 and August 19. Starting at midnight, over 245 mm of rainfall was recorded till August 16 morning, followed by 85 mm of rainfall between August 16 and August 17, then 99 mm of rainfall on August 18, followed by 238 mm of rainfall on August 19, and 223 mm of rainfall till August 20 morning.

Even as the suburban station experienced a historic wet spell during the month, records from the IMD show that the Colaba station in South Mumbai received relatively less rainfall at 686 mm, recording a marginal deficit of 99 mm from the seasonal average.

Overall, until now, the Santacruz observatory has received 2,494 mm of rainfall since June, while the Colaba station has clocked in 1,659 mm of rainfall so far. With the city failing to meet its monthly average quota for June and July, it was largely owing to the wet spell between August 16 and August 19 that the city surpassed its seasonal average rainfall of 2,319 mm of rainfall.

Meanwhile, amid heavy spells, the total stock in the seven lakes catering to Mumbai’s potable water demands touched 13.93 lakh million litres, which accounts for 96.27 per cent of the dams’ total capacity.

Following above-average rainfall in August, Mumbai is set to experience another rainy week ahead with the IMD sounding yellow alerts for the region, starting September 3. While Mumbai and Thane have been placed under a yellow alert, an orange alert indicating the likelihood of very heavy rainfall has been issued for the neighbouring districts of Raigad and Ratnagiri for September 3 and September 4.

From the homepage

TMC MP Mahua Moitra booked for ‘objectionable’ remarks against Amit Shah

BJP leader demands fatwa against man who used indecent language against PM Modi, his mother in Bihar

Canara Bank employees in Kerala protest with ‘beef fest’ after regional officer from Bihar bans dish in canteen