Mumbai rains: First pre-monsoon spell hits city, causes water-logging, traffic snarls
Mumbai rains: Heavy rains lashed Mumbai on Monday evening, giving Mumbaikars their first pre monsoon spell. It is likely to continue for another two to three days, according to SkyMet. These showers come as a huge respite to Mumbai as it was reeling under hot and humid conditions.
Heavy rains, along with thunderstorm and lightning, disrupted air, road and rail traffic in Mumbai. All flight operations were suspended due to low visibility at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport around 10 p.m. and efforts were on to resume traffic from the alternative runway. A United Air Newark-Mumbai flight was diverted to Delhi, said official sources.
Rail traffic was hit on the Central Railway's harbour line near Chunabhatti due to a technical snag in the overhead pentograph, hitting operations. Road traffic also slowed down on the Eastern Express Highway, Western Express Highway and arterial roads due waterlogging in some low-lying areas. Lakhs of commuters returning home from their offices were hit badly as they were caught virtually unprepared by the rains and stormy weather. Earlier this evening, the IMD had issued a forecast for thunderstorms over Mumbai, Thane and Raigad.
Rains in Mumbai have finally put an end to the prolonged dry spell. In the last 24 hours from 8:30 am on Sunday, Santa Cruz observed 3mm of rains while 1mm of rainfall was witnessed in Colaba.
These rains are attributed to the well marked low pressure area, which has now intensified into a depression. It is currently stationed over East Central Arabian Sea. It is likely to move in a north/northwest direction, parallel to Maharashtra coast and is expected to become a cyclonic storm during the next 24 to 48 hours.
On June 12, a couple of moderate spells of rain are also expected. On June 15, the intensity of rains will increase and some good showers are also expected.
According to SkyMet, maximum temperature in mumbai will subside by 2 degrees celsius to 3 degrees celsius and settle somewhere around 33 degrees celsius. Sky conditions will remain cloudy and wind speed will increase.
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