Intermittent rain likely in Mumbai for next 4-5 days, says IMD

Showers fell in many parts of Mumbai on October 30 and 31, marking the start of a week of rain. Officials of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the spell of light rain could continue in Mumbai and Maharashtra for the next 4-5 days.

Officials said the Santacruz observatory recorded about 1 cm of rain by Saturday morning. Areas such as Vikhroli received good rain, about 66 cm.

Bikram Singh, chief scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre (IMD Mumbai), said: "Another system is forming over the Bay of Bengal and could move towards Andhra Pradesh. So there is a chance of rain in parts of Marathwada and Vidarbha. Isolated rain may also occur in parts of Konkan, Central Maharashtra and Goa."

According to officials, the maximum temperature could stay low on cloudy days. The chill in the city is likely to increase even after this week. Officials also said the city's air quality index (AQI) could be recorded lower in the coming days.

Independent weather experts said rain in Mumbai could be heaviest around November 2 and 3, and is likely to stop on November 4. Independent weather expert Rishikesh Agre said: "This pattern of morning rain may be seen in Mumbai, peaking in the middle of the week. But it is far too early to say whether Mumbaikars will get rain on Diwali."

Akshay Deoras, senior research scientist at the University of Reading, UK, said that for groundwater to be truly recharged, rain must be widespread and intense. In his view, localised thunderstorms are unlikely to achieve this. He also said: "Those who have already sown the rabi crop may get some benefit. But the summer monsoon was weak, so the rabi acreage may have been lower from the start."