Mumbai is set to experience another day of significant rainfall on Wednesday, May 28, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting “generally cloudy skies with heavy rain” for the financial capital and its suburbs. There is also a possibility of thunder and lightning, accompanied by gusty winds at isolated places, with speeds potentially reaching 50-60 km/h in the next few hours.
The city has already witnessed an unusually early and intense onset of the southwest monsoon, marking one of the earliest arrivals in 75 years and breaking century-old records for May rainfall. The monsoon arrived in Mumbai on May 26, nearly two weeks ahead of its typical schedule, bringing with it a torrent of rain that has caused widespread disruption.
Visuals from various parts of the city, including Khar, Colaba, Marine Drive, and Swami Vivekananda Road, have shown areas drenched in heavy rain and partially submerged streets, leading to considerable waterlogging. This has significantly impacted daily life, causing delays in suburban train services and slowing down road traffic across Mumbai. Metro operations on Line 3 were also temporarily suspended between Acharya Atre Chowk and Worli due to water seepage at an under-construction station.
The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Mumbai, advising residents to remain cautious. While the immediate forecast indicates continued heavy showers, the intensity of rainfall is expected to ease slightly from Wednesday onwards. However, high tides, which reached 4.75 meters at 11:24 AM and are expected at 4.17 meters at 11:09 PM, may exacerbate the risk of waterlogging in low-lying areas.
Looking ahead, the IMD predicts scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall along with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds over Konkan and Goa, and Madhya Maharashtra from May 27 to June 2. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely in some places over Madhya Maharashtra from May 27 to 29, and over Konkan and Goa from May 27 to June 2.
The early and intense monsoon has prompted a high alert across Maharashtra. The IMD has issued an orange alert for Pune and red alerts for four districts of the western state: Satara, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Kolhapur. The overall monsoon forecast for Maharashtra indicates above-normal rainfall for the June to September season, particularly in Central Maharashtra and Marathwada.
Authorities, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Army, and Navy, are on alert to coordinate relief and rescue operations. Unfortunately, the heavy rains have already led to tragic incidents, with reports of one death due to a tree collapse in Mumbai and several rain-related fatalities across Maharashtra. Waterlogging has also led to several incidents of partial house collapses and tree falls.
Residents are advised to stay updated with the latest weather advisories from the IMD and local authorities, plan their travel accordingly, and take all necessary precautions to ensure their safety.