The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued yellow and orange alerts for Mumbai and Thane as heavy rains are expected to hit between July 5 and 8. An orange alert means heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places has been issued for Thane on July 6, and a yellow alert predicts heavy rainfall at some places across Mumbai from July 5 to 7.
The IMD's Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Mumbi, in its weekly forecast on Friday, July 4, stated that multiple weather patterns are currently influencing conditions, including cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal and northern parts of Gangetic West Bengal and a persistent offshore trough along the Maharashtra-Karnataka coast. These systems are expected to move westwards, intensifying rainfall over large parts of the state.
IMD said heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over the Konkan region and ghats area of Madhya Maharashtra during this period. Extremely heavy rainfall is also forecast over the ghats of Madhya Maharashtra on July 6 and 7. The weather department has issued an early morning nowcast warning at 4:00 AM, alerting residents of Palghar, Thane, Mumbai, and Raigad districts to the likelihood of moderate to intense spells of rain over the next three to four hours.
Meanwhile, the Marathwada region is expected to receive scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rain on the same dates. The IMD has further warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 45 to 55 mph in some areas.