Mumbai’s dry spell ends with intense late-night showers, more rainfall likely in next 2 days

The intense rainfall in Mumbai and its neighbouring districts in Maharashtra during the wee hours of Wednesday was caused due to the cyclonic circulations in the Arabian Sea near the Gujarat coast, the MeT has said.

The sudden spell of rainfall brought down temperatures in the megapolis and its surrounding areas which were witnessing a dry spell. It also led to some waterlogging in the suburbs, but did not result in any disruptions.

“The cyclonic circulations formed over the Gujarat coast have brought a lot of moisture, leading to cloud formation over most parts of Maharashtra,” India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) senior director Shubhangi Bhute told news agency PTI.

Due to this, several parts of the state, including Mumbai, are expected to receive medium intensity rains, she said, adding that moderate showers are also likely to occur in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions in the next two days.

The south China region was expected to be hit by a tropical storm last week. It could have brought some dry days to Odisha and parts of West Bengal, she said.

“But with cyclonic circulations developing off the Gujarat coast, there is an increased possibility of showers from Maharashtra to Odisha,” Bhute said.

These circulations have also delayed the withdrawal of monsoon and farmers have welcomed the showers for rabi crops.

“Indications of monsoon withdrawal should have been evident by now. The current circulations would now push the withdrawal further. It means that the country is likely to have a longer monsoon period,” the official said.

According to one expert, the expectant rains in Mumbai can vary extensively from area to area, with one witnessing heavy rainfall while the other getting light showers.