Mumbai: There is rain on the cards for Mumbaikars this week. Expect moderate to heavy rain on June 3 and 4, says the India Meteorological Department (IMD). It has also issued an orange alert for the city and has predicted heavy rain in Palghar district in the next 48 hours. The reason for the rain is the low-pressure area developing in the Arabian Sea, which will develop into a cyclonic storm in the subsequent 24 hours.
“The formation of low pressure over the Arabian Sea is likely to move towards Maharashtra and Gujarat and may bring heavy rain to these two states in the next two days,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region, IMD. The build-up of a cyclonic storm in Maharashtra and Gujarat comes a week after Cyclone Amphan battered West Bengal and Odisha.
“A low-pressure area has formed over the South East & adjoining East Central Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area. It will concentrate into a depression over the Arabian Sea during next 24 hours and into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours,” the IMD has tweeted. "There will be rain, accompanied by strong winds and thunder. The showers will provide relief from the heat and make for some leasant weather,” said Mahesh Palawat, the chief of private weather forecaster Skymet.
The southwest monsoon has arrived in Kerala ahead of schedule, SkyMet announced on Saturday, but according to the IMD, conditions are not yet ripe for the declaration. Accordingly, in Mumbai too, it will arrive before time and a couple of good pre-monsoon showers can be expected, said SkyMet. The official arrival date of monsoon in Mumbai is June 10.
