Mumbai rains: City receives 21 per cent of its annual rain since May

Rain lashes commuters at a bus stop at Carter Road in Bandra West on June 27. Pic/Atul Kamble

One month into the monsoon season, Mumbai has received 21 per cent of its annual rainfall target. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Sunday afternoon that the southwest monsoon has covered the entire country, as of June 29. At the onset of the monsoon on May 26, indications showed the monsoon was likely to cover the whole of India in the first week of July. In Mumbai, the island city has so far received 502.05 mm of rainfall or 23.93 per cent of its annual rainfall; the western suburbs have received 449.71 mm of rainfall, and the eastern suburbs have received 483.62 mm of rainfall, with the suburbs receiving 20.12 per cent of their annual rainfall so far this year.

According to information from IMD, since the onset of the monsoon, the Colaba observatory has recorded 591.4 mm of rainfall, amounting to 28.23 per cent of its annual average of 2095 mm. The Santacruz observatory has recorded 511.2 mm of rainfall, amounting to 22.04 per cent of its annual average of 2319 mm, according to data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Until June 29 in 2024 (last year, Mumbai had received 24.20 per cent of its annual rainfall, or 507 mm, and the Santacruz observatory had received 14.96 per cent of its annual rainfall, or 346.9 mm).

A senior IMD official told mid-day on Sunday, "We must note that the monsoon arrived early this year. The last week of May and June saw better rainfall as the synoptic situation [overall weather pattern, summarising the current state of the atmosphere over a large area] was favourable for strong rains during the onset. It is too soon to say if a new trend is emerging in terms of more rainfall in June or overall higher rainfall during the southwest monsoons. July is the wettest monsoon month, so the trends remain to be seen."

Another IMD official said, "Another fact that is noticed is that we have not been receiving continuous rainfall this year. There are one or two days of heavy to very heavy rainfall, and four or five days with light rainfall or no rain. However, it is too soon to tell if this is a trend."