Mumbai: Seasonal rainfall crosses 3,000-mm mark for third year in row

A woman holds an umbrella amid heavy rain at Vikhroli West. File pic

Seasonal rainfall for this year crossed the 3,000-mm mark and was 40 per cent excess. This is the third consecutive year that the seasonal rainfall was more than 3,000 mm against an average of 2,260 mm. These three years have also witnessed an increase in days of extremely heavy rain.

This year, the city received 3,163.5 mm rainfall during monsoon from June to September. Unlike previous years, this year rain was not evenly distributed with August reporting only 58 per cent of the average rainfall for the month while September witnessed more than double rainfall.

In the past three years, along with the excess rainfall, events of extremely heavy rainfall have also increased.

Previously, the city would receive more than 204 mm of rain within 24 hours only once or twice a year, which increased to four in 2019, three times in 2020 and three times this year.

A senior scientist with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said while instances of excess rainfall in a short span of time are on the rise, they need data of more than 50 years to arrive at any conclusion.

Meanwhile, the monsoon will take a few more days to withdraw.

"Cyclone Shaheen moved away from the Indian coast. It is likely to re-curve and move towards the Oman coast. There is a possibility of light to moderate rain in Mumbai and Thane in the next five days," said an official from IMD Mumbai.