IMD issues yellow alert for Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, thunderstorms with lightning likely

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra. Thunderstorms with lightning, light to moderate rain and gusty winds are likely there over the next 24 hours.

According to the forecasting agency, both Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts will see thunder and lightning and light to moderate rain, and wind speeds in some places could reach 40-50 km/h. The alert points to a likelihood of localised changes in the weather. Residents of the two districts have been advised to take care during storms and not to shelter under trees or near electric poles.

Despite the yellow alert for Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, the sky over Mumbai was partly cloudy on Monday. The IMD has forecast that the sky in the city and the suburbs will remain partly cloudy, with light rain possible in some places. Minimum temperatures at both of the city's observatories stayed above normal, while the daytime temperature held at around 33 degrees Celsius.

According to the IMD's latest records, Colaba recorded a minimum temperature of 26.4 degrees Celsius, 2.1 degrees above normal. At the Santacruz station the minimum was 25.2 degrees Celsius, 2.8 degrees above normal.

Mumbai's overall air quality index (AQI) on Monday morning was 81, according to data on the Central Pollution Control Board's SAMEER app. In the national AQI categories, 51 to 100 is considered satisfactory and 101 to 200 moderate. The city's air therefore remained in the satisfactory range.

In Pune on Monday, the maximum temperature was 33.3 degrees Celsius, 1.8 degrees above normal, and the minimum was 21.2 degrees Celsius. Relative humidity was 54 per cent.

In central Maharashtra, Mahabaleshwar recorded the lowest maximum temperature in the state, at 18 degrees Celsius. The IMD has also issued a yellow alert on Monday for the district in which Mahabaleshwar lies. The weather department said thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 km/h are likely there.