Mumbai and Pune, both are separated by a short distance of 100 km or so, but they widely vary because of the Monsoon pattern. Mumbai is on the west side of the Western Ghats while Pune on the eastern side.
The Konkan region is one of the rainiest pockets in the Monsoon season. The seasonal rainfall for the region is 2900 mm, while the other side of the Western Ghats like Madhya Maharashtra where Pune is located records 730 mm of rainfall. Thus, we can say that it is the power of the terrain which shows such variability. The variability is not only seen on a seasonal basis it is evident on a daily basis too. In a time span of 24 hours, Pune recorded 73 mm which is the second highest record rainfall in the last ten years. While Mumbai witnessed 4 mm of rainfall. However, the normal for Pune for the month of June is 116 mm and solely in the last 24 hours, 73 mm of rains were recorded.
Thus, with such heavy spells, the value has exceeded the normal averages and at present, stands at 133 mm of rains. On the contrary, Pune city is not known for heavy rains. This city observes Monsoon weather in the form of cloudy sky, light rain and thundershowers with few spells during the day. Meanwhile, Mumbai is known for the heavy spells which are of long duration, causing all kinds of disruption in terms of water logging, the road, rail, and air mode of transport is also affected.
Strangely from 0830 hours to 1130 hours, again variability in terms of Monsoon rain has been seen. Like Mumbai just in a span of 9 hours recorded 140 mm whereas Pune witnessed just 0.7 mm of rains. More such scenes will continue throughout the season.
To this, experts added that Mumbai city frequently keeps recording three-digit rainfall on a daily basis. Sadly, this time Mumbai has been little slow on the Monsoon rains. Till date, it has recorded 188.6 mm of rains against the normal of 493.1 mm.
In the next 36 hours, Mumbaikars needs to exercise extra caution as heavy spells with short breaks in between cannot be ruled out. Also, the tide timings would add on to the water log to the places which are close to the coastline or the shore. In these two days, there stands a chance that rainfall might exceed the value of 200 mm.
However, by Sunday i.e. June 30, the frequency might go down and during that time moderate spells will be seen. Chances are that the rainfall values might get closer to the monthly normal which looked impossible earlier.
The similar weather pattern is expected on July 3 when the Low-pressure Area in the Bay of Bengal would move westward. The rains are likely to intensify on July 4 and then again recede on July 5.
Looks like, the first week of July too would see bountiful rains.
Image Credit: DNA India
Please Note: Any information picked from here must be attributed to skymetweather.com