The month of August remained sub-par with poor rainfall in Mumbai. Monthly rainfall was deficit in June as well. However, the city experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall in July, accumulating record rainfall of over 1700mm, more than double the normal. But, the monsoon bursts were mild and mostly silent during the month of August. Precisely, moderate to heavy showers were witnessed only on three days, the 03rd, 24th and 25th August. Quite unusually, there was no three-digit rainfall during the entire month. The city observatory at Santacruz accumulated a total of 383.4mm rainfall against the normal of 585.2mm, a deficit of about 35%. Earlier, June was also deficit by a similar margin.
The month of September is the least rainy month for Mumbai. The average rainfall based on the last 30-year data is just 341.4mm. In the recent past, the city defied the tag of low rainfall in September and went on to record rainfall in excess of 500mm in 2012, 2016 and 2017. September 2016 made an exception by recording 756.5 mm of rainfall, nearly double of monthly normal. The highest-ever rainfall in September was 920mm in 1954.
Though, the monsoon withdraws by about 10th October, but the rainfall becomes sparse and modest, after August. Once, the monsoon retreats, the rains take a break for nearly six months. Only, a stray storm reaching closer to the Konkan Coast poses a rare threat of heavy rains between October and March.
The remnant of the depression over Vidarbha will reach parts of Rajasthan and West Madhya Pradesh, keeping a safe distance from the capital city, Mumbai. The next system forming over the Bay of Bengal around 04th/05th September may not travel far, over parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The monsoon stream along the Western Ghats in general and Konkan Coast in particular is unlikely to pick up strength. At best, moderate showers can be expected between 04th and 07th September. Typical Mumbai rains are unlikely during the first half of September.
Image Courtesy: India.com
