Amid yellow alert, Mumbaikars wake up to unseasonal rain and improved air quality
Mumbai and the adjoining districts of Raigad, Thane and Palghar may get light to moderate showers with thunderstorms on Monday.
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Experts said AQI levels decline after showers owing to the absorption of the prominent pollutants, particulate matter, by the rain. (Express Archives) Amid a yellow alert sounded by the India Meteorological Department over the weekend, Mumbai residents on Sunday woke up to spells of moderate showers, which swept several pockets of the city and its suburbs. The Santacruz observatory and the coastal observatory in Colaba recorded rain of 5.2 mm and 9 mm rain, respectively.
With the rains bringing a respite from the high day temperatures, the megapolis also witnessed improved air quality with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 95 on Sunday afternoon, which falls in the “satisfactory” category. Of the city’s 27 recording stations, fifteen stations registered the AQI in double digits reflecting a significant improvement in the city’s air quality from Saturday. The best air quality was recorded in Mumbai’s Worli, where the AQI stood at 46, followed by Borivali East (62), Malad West (66), Bhandup’s Khindipada (71), Powai (74) and Mulund West (78). The worst air quality, meanwhile, was observed in Bandra Kurla Complex, where it touched 187.
Experts said AQI levels decline after showers owing to the absorption of the prominent pollutants, particulate matter, by the rain. With the particulate matter no longer suspended in the air, the air quality improves.
Speaking to The Indian Express, meteorologists and weather experts stated that Mumbai can expect light showers until Monday. Sunil Kamble, director of the IMD in Mumbai, said, “The upper air cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal is now starting to weaken. The interaction of winds, meanwhile, is bringing thunderstorm activity. The intensity of rain is likely to reduce by Monday.”
While the IMD issued a yellow alert in the city until Sunday, no warnings have been sounded for Monday. However, the weather bulletin states Mumbai and the adjoining districts of Raigad, Thane and Palghar are likely to experience light to moderate showers alongside thunderstorms on Monday.
While several pockets in Mumbai city and suburbs experienced unseasonal showers starting Saturday night, the intensity picked up early on Sunday morning, with the IMD issuing a nowcast warning at 4.30 am for Mumbai as well as its neighbouring districts, indicating the likelihood of thunderstorms coupled with lightning as well as moderate spells of rain with gusty rains touching 30-40 kmph.
Figures procured from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation showed that between 5 am and 6 am, light rain was registered in the island city and eastern suburbs, whereas the maximum downpour was recorded in western suburb’s Andheri fire station at 15 mm, followed by 14 mm at the K/W ward office and 13 mm at the Malwani fire station.
This is the second spate of unseasonal showers to grip the city in November.
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