Mumbai will get respite from heavy showers as rain activity is slated to recede over the coming days amid likelihood of only light to moderate showers this week. However, monsoon withdrawal in Mumbai is likely to be delayed this year owing to the possibility of extended rain activity. After experiencing heavy rain activity over the past two weeks in what spurred the total showers in September nearly two times above the average, extreme rain has eluded Mumbai with the city experiencing intermittent spells of moderate rainfall this week. On Thursday, records showed that Santacruz observatory received 0.4 mm rainfall between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, while the Colaba station received 14 mm rain. Meanwhile, 15 mm rainfall was recorded at the IMD's observatory in Thane. According to the IMD, rain activity is set to remain subdued over the next 3-4 days with no alerts sounded in the region until at least Monday. The forecast of reduced rain comes as the city heads into a week of typical monsoon withdrawals. The official date of monsoon withdrawal in the city is October 8. However, monsoon withdrawals are likely to be delayed this year with meteorologists pointing to a fresh low pressure system in the Bay of Bengal which is likely to keep monsoon active in the region for the next week at least. Amid the possibility of extended showers, the IMD has also forecast above normal rainfall in Maharashtra for the month of October. For the record, a delay in withdrawal of monsoon showers is not unusual for the city. Last year, for instance, Mumbai experienced monsoon withdrawal on October 15 while in 2023 and 2022, the withdrawal of monsoon in Mumbai was declared on October 23. The possibility of delayed monsoon withdrawals in the city comes after the city experienced its earliest monsoon onset since 1950 when torrential unseasonal showers battered Mumbai on May 26, this year. So far, the Santacruz station in the suburbs has received 3,100 mm rainfall since June, which is nearly 700 mm above the normal.
