Maharashtra weather: Monsoon in state expected to withdraw 'slowly' by Oct 4 or 5, says IMD

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Maharashtra weather: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said that the monsoon in Maharashtra is likely to slowly withdraw by October 4 or 5.

The weather department said that the monsoon in the country has officially withdrawn on September 30 but in Maharashtra rains continue and the rainy season in the state is expected to slowly withdraw by October 4 or 5.

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In a video statement, Jyoti Sonar, Meteorologist, IMD, Pune said, "Officially monsoon in Maharashtra begins on 1st June and generally lasts till 30th September. This year at least 9 districts in Maharashtra have witnessed a comparatively less rainfall. The Konkan-Goa belt has witnessed around 18 per cent more than average rainfall. The Madhya Maharashtra belt has witnessed around 12 per cent less rainfall, Marathwada witnessed 11 per cent less rainfall and Vidarbha recorded 2 per cent less rainfall as compared to average rainfall.

She added, "Pune witnessed normal rainfall this year. The pimpri-chinchwad witnessed 32 per cent more rainfall."

Meanwhile, though Mumbai experienced long dry periods during the monsoon this year, the lakes supplying water to the city are almost full on the last day of September, technically the last day of the rainy season. The BMC has hence assured that there will be no water cut till the next monsoon.

There are seven lakes, two in Mumbai and five on the outskirts, which have a combined capacity of 14.47 lakh million litres of water. The lakes are 99.23 per cent full, with the stock reaching 14.36 lakh million litres on Saturday. "If the stock reaches 100 per cent on the last day of monsoon, then the city gets an uninterrupted supply of water," said an official from the hydraulic department of the BMC.

"As the lakes are filled up to their capacities, the city won't face water cuts till the next monsoon," said a senior BMC official.

Last year, the lakes had 98.5 per cent stock on the same day and the city didn't face a water cut till the end of June, 2023. The water cut was imposed on July 5 due to delayed rain, and lasted for a month due to the dry spell of monsoon. The lake levels went deep to merely seven per cent in the first week of July. But the heavy rain in July and then intermittent showers in August and September helped fill up the lakes by the end of September.