Mumbai records over 2,319 mm rain, surpasses season’s average

Following torrential rainfall on Wednesday, Mumbai has clocked 2,319.7 mm rain, which is more than the season’s average rainfall – 2,260.4 mm – in the first 65 days of monsoon that spans across four months, from June to September. Last year, Mumbai rainfall had reached its seasonal tally on August 4.

In the 12 hours, ending at 8.30 pm Wednesday, Santacruz weather observatory, representative of the suburbs and Mumbai, recorded heavy rain at 103 mm, while the Colaba observatory broke the all-time record of 24-hour rain in August at 293.8 mm in the same period.

In the first five days of August, Mumbai has received 78 per cent of the month’s average rain. The Santacruz weather observatory recorded 459.3 mm rain from August 1 to 5 (until 8.30 pm). Out of which 99 per cent was recorded in the last two days when the city received extremely heavy to heavy rain. The monthly average rain for August is 585.2 mm.

The weather bureau has issued a yellow alert with a forecast of heavy rain at isolated places for Mumbai and Thane for Thursday. As per the 24 hours forecast issued at 2 pm on Wednesday, heavy to very heavy rain is “very likely” in Mumbai city and suburbs with the possibility of extremely heavy rain at isolated places. Palghar, which received 460 mm rain in



24 hours till 8.30 am Wednesday, was the wettest in the state and is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rain on Thursday.

The intensity of rain in the city is likely to reduce from Thursday. The IMD had issued a red alert for Mumbai for Monday and Tuesday with forecasts of extremely heavy rain (above 204 mm in 24 hours).

While excess rain was recorded in July and August, the water in the catchment areas of the seven lakes that supply drinking water to the city continued to be poor. The current water stock in the lakes is at 37.26 per cent of the total capacity. Last year, it was 89.96 per cent. By July 30 last year, three lakes had started overflowing. In 2018, when the August rainfall was below average at 235.2 mm, the water stock in the lake stood at 84.20 per cent of the total capacity.

The city draws water from Bhatsa, Middle Vaitarna, Upper Vaitarna, Tansa and Modak Sagar, which are in Thane and Nashik districts. For the first time this season, the catchment areas received moderate to heavy rainfall in 24 hours ending at 6 am on Wednesday. Bhatsa lake located in Thane district, which contributes 50 per cent to the total water supply to Mumbai, received 88 mm of rain in 24 hours on Wednesday. The lake is at 40.82 per cent (2,92,703 million litres) of its capacity.