08 May,2026 08:51 AM IST | Mumbai | Eeshanpriya MS
A screengrab from a video showing dust storm visuals from Mulund. Pic/X/@rushikesh_agre_
Between 4.30 pm and 6.00 pm on Wednesday, a massive dust storm surged through Kalyan, Panvel, and Thane, stretching into the northern fringes of Mumbai as far as Mulund. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an urgent alert for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), warning of thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching up to 40 kmph. IMD also indicated the possibility of light rainfall in coastal regions south of Mumbai - Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg - accompanied by thundershowers.
Combined with strong winds, the storm reduced visibility and caused difficulty in breathing for commuters and residents in Thane, Badlapur, Ulhasnagar, Kalyan, Dombivali, Airoli, and Digha. Several residents took to social media to share visuals showing low visibility and large plumes of dust in the air.
Hrushikesh Angre, independent weather analyst, said, "The winds originated in the western parts of the Western Ghats. Sea breeze from the west manages to enter the mainland by pushing atmospheric air upwards. The temperature inversion due to this, coupled with thunderstorms, led to dust storms. It was unable to penetrate Mumbai due to high relative humidity."
As the dust storm subsided, Mumbai's humidity dropped to 36 per cent, with wind speeds stabilising between 9 and 13 kmph. However, the respite may be short-lived; the IMD has forecast hot and humid conditions for the city over the next 48 hours. A yellow alert remains in place for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Raigad. Additionally, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg are on alert for heat coupled with potential thundershowers.
