The IMD (India Meteorological Department) earlier today said that monsoon is expected to arrive in Mumbai by today evening or tomorrow and added that 'conditions are favourable' for its onset.
"Conditions are favourable for the onset of monsoon, expected to arrive in Mumbai later today or tomorrow," Shubhangi Bhute, Scientist, IMD Mumbai was quoted as saying by ANI.
Meanwhile, rains lashed Mumbai and its neighbouring areas on Tuesday morning, bringing respite from the sweltering heat. As per the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Mumbai, up to 30 mm rainfall was recorded in areas like Malvani, Borivali and Dahisar on till 11 am on Tuesday. The MeT department termed it as pre-monsoon showers.
Earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday confirmed the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Maharashtra, when it had reached up to Harnai port in coastal Ratnagiri district. But, despite favourable conditions, the monsoon has still not progressed to Mumbai.
When contacted, Shubhangi Bhute, director at the RMC Mumbai, termed the present rainfall in the city as "convective precipitation". "You can observe that there is thunder, lightning and a constant variation in the intensity of the showers. You can call it pre-monsoon showers, but certainly not the south-west monsoon," she said.
There are no indications of the onset of the monsoon here as yet, the official said. "There has to be less variation and rains have to be widespread (to be called as monsoon showers). Apart from Mumbai, there should be rains over central Maharashtra also.
Then only we can identify it as the southwest (SW) monsoon, she said. The official further said going by the present observations, the SW monsoon onset here could be declared after a couple of days- by June 10."There is also an off-shore trough in the Arabian Sea, but it is weak. Had it been strong, it could have helped in the advancement of the monsoon," she said.
(With inputs from agencies)
