The months of March, April and May have been dry for Mumbai. The rainfall amounts during this period have been negligible in the city. Even May, which observes a monthly average rainfall of 12 mm has not seen any rain this year. However, with the scheduled onset date of Monsoon over Mumbai on June 10, which is likely to get delayed by 4 to 5 days, pre-Monsoon showers are expected to begin anytime soon.
According to the data available with Skymet Meteorology Division in India, the average monthly rainfall in June is a whopping 523 mm. And there are about 15 rainy days (rainfall amounts should exceed 2.5 mm on each rainy day) observed during the month. As we enter the month of July the average rainy days become 23, which indicates that Mumbai observes very good rainfall during the Monsoon period. Waterlogging and traffic jams are a very common feature in the city during Monsoon.
The highest amount of rainfall observed in the month of June in last one decade is 1029.8 mm, recorded in 2013. And the highest 24 hour rainfall is 209.6 mm, observed on June 24, 2007.
Despite good Monsoon rain, there is not much change experienced in the temperatures. For instance the average day temperature during May settles at 33.3°C, while in June, which is a Monsoon month the maximum settles at 32°C. The temperatures in Mumbai largely remain in the same range throughout the summer and monsoon seasons, due to its proximity to sea.
Persistent cloud cover and sea breeze during the Monsoon season make the evening hours pleasant for Mumbaikars. However, the humidity levels remain high which causes some discomfort during afternoon hours, on a sunny day.
Image Credit: Indiatoday
