The month of July is the rainiest for Mumbai with an average of 840.7mm. This target gets breached on many occasions and the city gets deluged, as is happening during this season, as well. The base observatory at Santacruz gathered 93mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours and Colaba exceeded the three-digit mark to register 115mm during the same period. Heavy rains remain unabated and are likely to inundate many sections of the city, over the next 3 days or so.
The record observatory at Santacruz has amassed enormous rains to surpass July total of 1000mm rainfall, so far. Still, with twelve days to go, July may end up on the record list of heavy rainfall. The city recorded a total of 1050.7mm of rainfall between the 01st and 19th of July. In the last 17 years, since July 2008, the city has been deluged with rainfall in excess of 1000mm on nine occasions. The strike rate seems to be very high. And, this is so when the month of June was rather deficit with over 30 % rainfall. Last year, July 2023 had gone on record to be an all-time high, with monthly rainfall of massive 1768mm, more than double the normal. Till then, July 2014 held the record with extreme rainfall of 1468.5mm.
Mumbai is likely to continue with the heavy rainfall till the end of this week. Many of the services may cripple, throwing normal life out of gear. The high tide, twice a day with wave height in excess of 10 feet will keep compounding the gravity of the situation. The start of next week could be slightly better, with moderate to heavy rainfall and relatively longer breaks, in between. But, this breather will be short and sweet, just for two days on the 22nd and 23rd of July. The intensity and spread of rains may catch up once again during mid-week, commencing 24th July. July 2024 may keep its date, to get listed in the bracket of highest monthly rainfall for Mumbai.
Image Credit: PTI