Rain to intensify across Maharashtra, alerts issued for Mumbai, Nagpur and other districts
IMD issues alerts for Mumbai and several Maharashtra districts as rain activity is expected to pick up from September 11 to 14.
Weather conditions are expected to change across several parts of Maharashtra on September 11, with clouds, rain, thunder and strong winds likely in different areas of the state. Conditions will vary from place to place rather than being uniform.
The maximum temperature in the state is expected to touch around 34 degrees Celsius today. However, signs point to rain picking up in the coming days, particularly between September 12 and 14, when several areas could see heavier rainfall.
In Nagpur, the temperature was recorded at 33 degrees Celsius today. The maximum is expected to stay around 33 degrees and the minimum around 26 degrees. Humidity could also trouble residents, with levels at around 92 percent and atmospheric pressure at around 1007. Over the next seven days, Nagpur's temperature is not expected to see major swings, with forecasts putting it at around 33, 33, 33, 32, 32 and 32 degrees, though rain and cloud cover could bring some minor fluctuations.
Nagpur's Air Quality Index was recorded at 64 today, in the Moderate category. PM 2.5 levels were at 37 and PM 10 at 53. With air quality slightly worse than normal, people with breathing difficulties may be advised to avoid staying outdoors for long periods.
A rain alert has been issued for several districts including Ahmednagar, Akola, Amravati, Beed, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Hingoli, Jalgaon, Jalna, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Pune, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Satara, Solapur and Washim. Winds of 35 to 40 kilometres per hour could blow in some areas during this period, so drivers should exercise extra caution while it is raining, and people in open areas should also stay alert during strong winds.
In Mumbai too, the monsoon is set to become active again after a prolonged dry spell. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Mumbai along with Thane, Palghar and Raigad. According to the weather department, moderate rain along with thunder and strong winds is expected on Saturday and Sunday. Experts believe this could be the monsoon's last intense and active spell in Mumbai, after which the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon will begin.
According to independent weather observer Atharva Shetty, the increase in rain is due to a low-pressure area formed near the Odisha coast, which will strengthen further and move westward over the coming days. Shetty said the system will gradually move west and good rainfall could begin in Mumbai from Saturday night, with intensity ranging from moderate to heavy. While this is unlikely to disrupt life on a large scale, Mumbai could still record around 200 to 300 mm of rainfall. According to him, this could also be the season's last major spell of monsoon rain.
According to IMD data, no rainfall was recorded at the Santacruz and Colaba observatories from Wednesday to Thursday morning. Rainfall in Mumbai was also below normal in August, with records showing a 44 percent deficit in the suburbs compared to the normal average. Rain activity is now expected to pick up over the weekend, which is why the weather department has issued a yellow alert for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) from Saturday. According to IMD officials, moderate rain is likely in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad until Monday morning, after which the pace of rainfall is expected to gradually decrease.
Overall, the forecast indicates that rain activity will increase across Maharashtra between September 11 and 14. Residents of Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and other districts should keep track of weather updates for their respective areas.
