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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Mumbai is set to experience moderate showers coupled with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds, as it sounded a yellow alert for the district on Wednesday. Despite the forecast for showers, temperatures saw a spike of nearly five degrees in a single day as the maximum temperature touched 37.7 degrees on Tuesday.
On Tuesday morning, the city woke up to find itself engulfed by cloudy skies with the IMD issuing a nowcast warning of light showers at 7.00 am for Mumbai and its surrounding regions. While the city remained dry, pockets of nearby areas in Navi Mumbai experienced patchy drizzles in the early hours.
Even as rains eluded Mumbai throughout the day, the city reeled under overcast skies throughout the day on Tuesday. Amid cloudy skies, temperatures saw a dramatic spike of over 4.5 degrees in 24 hours, as the maximum temperatures at IMD’s Santacruz observatory touched 37.7 degrees on Tuesday afternoon. On Monday, the temperatures had remained at 33.2 degrees.
In what could usher in some relief for the city, the IMD said Mumbai is likely to experience moderate showers alongside thunderstorms, lightning as well as gusty winds to the speed of 30 – 40 kmph on Wednesday, prompting the weather bureau to issue an upgraded yellow warning for the district. Nearby pockets of Thane, Palghar amongst the rest have also been put on yellow alert until Wednesday to Thursday at least.
With the showers, the maximum temperatures is also forecast to dip and hover between 31 – 33 degrees until Saturday (April 5) at least.
Meteorologists have attributed the pre monsoon showers to a cyclonic circulation as well as a trough, which has led to the interaction of easterly and westerly winds, making conditions favourable for rain.
“Under the influence of the cyclonic circulation over central Maharashtra at 0.9 km above mean sea level and the associated trough running from south Chhattisgarh to central Maharashtra and Vidarbha and Marathwada, light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning are very likely over the region during the next few days,” said the IMD in a statement issued on Tuesday.
It added that isolated pockets of interior parts of the state were also likely to experience hail activity with very gusty winds.
Responding to questions, Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather Services said, “Mumbai could experience light showers on Wednesday, while interior parts of the state may experience heavier rainfall. Meanwhile, the spike in temperatures in the city could be due to the cyclonic circulation, which could have ushered in warmer southerly winds.”
According to weather experts, such unseasonal showers are typical for the summer months, owing to the interaction of winds.
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