After nearly two weeks of delay, the Southwest Monsoon has officially arrived in Mumbai, bringing widespread rainfall across the city and ending an unusually dry start to the season. Moderate to heavy showers lashed several parts of Mumbai on Tuesday morning, June 23, prompting weather alerts and marking a significant shift in weather conditions across the financial capital and the Konkan coast.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the monsoon's onset over Mumbai and parts of North Konkan after key meteorological conditions, including sustained rainfall and strong moisture-laden westerly winds, were met. While rainfall activity is expected to remain active over the coming days, officials said Mumbai is unlikely to witness extreme onset-related flooding and instead may experience moderate rain interspersed with isolated heavy spells.
Several areas in South Mumbai and the western suburbs recorded significant rainfall between 7 am and 9 am on Tuesday.
Highest Rainfall Recorded Between 8 am and 9 am
South Mumbai:
Western Suburbs:
Eastern suburbs recorded comparatively light rainfall during the same period.
Localised waterlogging was reported in some low-lying areas, while high rainfall intensity was observed along the Bandra-Worli Sea Link corridor.
The monsoon's arrival comes after one of Mumbai's driest starts to June in recent years.
The Santacruz Observatory recorded only 32.3 mm of rainfall up to June 22, significantly below normal levels for this stage of the season. The city received a brief spell of rain on June 1 and another on June 21, but remained largely dry in between as the monsoon stalled along the western coast.
Meteorologists attributed the delay to:
The monsoon's normal onset date over Mumbai is June 11, making this year's arrival nearly two weeks late.
According to weather officials, rainfall activity is expected to remain active through the week.
What to Expect:
A weather alert remains in force for Mumbai, with authorities advising residents to remain cautious during periods of intense rainfall.
The monsoon revival has strengthened rainfall activity across the Konkan coast and adjoining regions.
Significant Rainfall Recorded:
The rain-bearing system has also advanced into parts of Raigad district, Alibaug, Nagothane, Tamhini Ghat, and nearby areas.
Meteorologists have cautioned that rainfall distribution may remain uneven later this week due to the development of a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal. The system could temporarily weaken westerly winds, resulting in varying rainfall intensity across Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and surrounding catchment areas.
However, overall rainfall activity is expected to remain favourable through the remainder of June, providing much-needed relief after a prolonged dry spell and helping replenish water reservoirs across the region.