The India Meteorological Centre (IMD), on Tuesday, issued a red alert for five districts in the state, including Raigad and Pune, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places for the next two days. The alert for Mumbai on Tuesday which was orange was upgraded to red alert after heavy downpour in the city and adjoining areas during the day.
The IMD also issued an orange alert for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar on Thursday and Friday, indicating the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall and a yellow alert (watch out) for Saturday. The IMD's Mumbai centre forecast a ''very likely'' probability of "extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places" in five districts - Pune, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Kolhapur and Satara.
The red alert in these districts was issued for Wednesday and Thursday. Extremely heavy rainfall means precipitation of more than 204.5 mm in 24 hours, the met office said.
The IMD describes rainfall as ''very likely'' when the probability of the occurrence is 51 to 75 per cent.
The IMD's orange alert for Mumbai between Wednesday and Friday says that heavy to very heavy rain (115.6 mm to 204.4 mm) is likely at a few places. Pointing at the severe weather alerts issued by IMD, KS Hosalikar, Head SID, Climate Research & Services - IMD Pune said: “Dense and very intense clouds are observed over the west coast, Konkan region, Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and the adjoining Arabian Sea in the latest satellite observation.”
