Being a coastal town, Mumbai has a humid climate and experiences heavy rainfall, however, this year, the city experienced its driest August since 2015 after recording the wettest July. It was the second-lowest monthly rainfall ever observed.
Mumbai Records The Driest August With 177 MM Rainfall!
According to the monthly rainfall statistics from the India Meteorology Department (IMD), just about 31 per cent of the monthly average rainfall quota of 566.4 mm, which is around 177 mm, was recorded in August of this year. The lowest monthly rainfall in the last ten years was 154 mm in 2015.
Mumbai received 30.6 mm of rain up until August 18; nevertheless, more than 140 mm of rain fell during the final two weeks of the month. The IMD observatory reported 108.6 mm of rain in August 1972, the driest August ever in Mumbai, and 1,254 mm of rain in August 1958, the wettest August ever recorded in the city.
According to IMD officials, the Long-Range Forecast (LRF) for September indicates that there is no chance of significant rainfall before September 10.
Also Read: Untimely Rainfalls Lash Out In Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, And More Areas. IMD Issues Alerts
Little Probability Of Heavy Rain
According to an Indian Express report, Sushma Nair, a scientist from IMD Mumbai, stated that the present prognosis indicates there is little probability of heavy rain over Mumbai and the Konkan belt until September 10. According to her, the city saw a 68 per cent decrease in rainfall in August.
She attributed the main cause to the monsoon trough that has settled in the Himalayan foothills. She stated that there was no proper low pressure that developed in August. In fact, the monsoon current in the Arabian Sea was also significantly weaker during the month. Mumbai saw below-average rainfall as a result of this.
Mumbai experienced 1,769 mm of rain in July, about twice as much as the usual amount for that month. Also in June, Mumbai saw rainfall totals of 549 mm, which were higher than the monthly average of 537 mm. Despite the monsoon’s delayed arrival, the city’s rainfall totals at the end of July exceeded the seasonal average.
Also Read: Mumbai Monsoon: BMC Warns Very Heavy Rainfall For Next 4-5 Days, IMD Issues Nowcast Warning
The water levels in lakes that provide water to Mumbai are currently at 90.55 per cent, compared to 90.66 per cent on August 31 of last year and 88 per cent in 2021.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia