Many parts of Mumbai and Maharashtra witnessed unseasonal showers on April 1. In Chembur, Matunga, and Wadala, citizens were drenched in unseasonal rains, which also brought some relief from the heat. The Colaba observatory of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and its Santacruz weather station recorded maximum temperatures of 33.5 and 37.7 degrees Celsius, respectively. On April 2, the IMD issued an orange and yellow alert for the entire state except for Solapur. But why are Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra witnessing this unseasonal rain?
A weather pattern called a trough is the cause of the predicted rainfall in Mumbai and the neighbouring areas. Currently situated between south Chhattisgarh and north interior Tamil Nadu, this trough stretches from interior Odisha to Kanyakumari. At a height of around 0.9 km above the ground, this meteorological feature is encouraging the interplay of easterly and westerly winds across Maharashtra and Karnataka, creating an environment that is favourable for rain.
The IMD issued an orange alert for 13 districts, including the ones in Western Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Vidarbha - Satara, Nashik, Pune, Beed, Ahilyanagar, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Amravati, Jalna, Chandrapur, Akola, Gondia, Yavatmal, and Bhandara. IMD issued a yellow alert for Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar and gave a warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and light to moderate rainfall.
Mumbai is predicted to get light showers mostly in the afternoons or evenings, while the projected intensity of rainfall may vary depending on the location. On the other hand, more severe weather is expected to hit nearby districts, including Thane, Palghar, and Raigad. These include thunderstorms, lightning, moderate rainfall, and gusty winds that can reach 30 to 40 kmph in certain areas.
Meteorologists predict that Mumbai will see unseasonal rainfall in March and April. According to historical records, there have been brief rainstorms in March and April in previous years. For example, Santacruz station recorded its highest March rainfall on March 21, 2023, with 17.1 mm, followed by 10 mm in 2016 and 13 mm in 2015.