Mumbai weather update: City braces for heavy rain and gusty winds; high tide alert

Image used for representational purpose. Pic/stck.me/picto

The weather forecast for Mumbai at 08:00 hrs today warns of heavy to very heavy rain in the city and suburbs, with the possibility of occasional gusty winds reaching speeds of 45-55 kmph, according to BMC's release. Residents are advised to take necessary precautions to stay safe during the adverse weather conditions.

The tide timings for today are as follows:

High Tide:

06:38 hrs: 3.31 meters
17:58 hrs: 3.32 meters

During high tide, there is an increased risk of water levels rising in coastal areas, leading to waterlogging and potential flooding in low-lying regions. Citizens residing near the coastline should remain vigilant and avoid venturing close to the sea during these periods.

Low Tide:

12:20 hrs: 2.49 meters

The low tide provides temporary relief from high water levels. However, given the forecast of heavy rain and gusty winds, it is essential to exercise caution and be prepared for any waterlogging or flooding in susceptible areas.

On the next day, 28th July 2023, the low tide is expected at 00:57 hrs with a height of 1.33 meters.

The city experienced significant rainfall in the past 24 hours, from 26th July 2023, 08:00 hrs to 27th July 2023, 08:00 hrs, with the following average rainfall details in different regions:

City: 112.25 mm
Eastern Suburbs (ES): 104.43 mm
Western Suburbs (WS): 116.42 mm
Both the eastern and western suburbs recorded substantial rainfall during this period, indicating the intensity of the monsoon showers in these areas.

Mumbai registered its wettest July ever on Wednesday with the month so far witnessing a record 1557.8 mm rainfall, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The previous wettest July on record was in 2020 when 1,502 mm rainfall was logged by the IMD's Santacruz observatory (representative of Mumbai's suburbs).

"From July 1 to July 26, 2023 morning 0830 hours (8.30 am), Santacruz (observatory) had recorded 1,433 mm. So today, this record for wettest July has been broken at 2030 (8.30 pm) on July 26, 2023, with the Santacruz observatory recording a total of 1557.8 mm so far," the IMD said.

Incessant heavy rains lashed Mumbai throughout the day, prompting the weather office to upgrade the 'orange' alert to 'red' with effect from Wednesday night till Thursday afternoon.

The red alert, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places, is valid from 8 pm on Wednesday till July 27 afternoon and covers Mumbai city and suburban areas.