 "The monsoon arrived eight days early in Maharashtra, causing floods in Baramati and Indapur. Commuters amid rains, in Solapur, Maharashtra. (Photo: PI)")
The monsoon arrived eight days earlier than its normal schedule in Kerala on Saturday. A day later, it reached Maharashtra. Monsoon on Sunday, with several regions, including the eastern Pune district, receiving heavy rains. Flooding was reported in Baramati and Indapur tehsils, and two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed to assist with evacuations.
This is the earliest onset of the annual monsoon season over the state in 35 years, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The monsoon is expected to advance to Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra over the next three days, the IMD added.
“The usual date for arrival of the monsoon in Maharashtra is June 5. This year, the season has arrived 10 days in advance.” said Shubhangi Bhute, director, IMD Mumbai.
One such case was in 1990, when the southwest monsoon had reached Maharashtra as early as May 20, said IMD scientist Sushma Nair. However, the weather bureau began officially maintaining state-wise monsoon onset records only in 2011.
Baramati in Pune district recorded a staggering 179 mm of rainfall within a 24-hour span on Sunday, leading to flood-like conditions in several areas.
The NDRF deployed two teams to evacuate affected residents and relocate them to temporary shelters which were set up at eight locations in Baramati. While another NDRF team was sent to Solapur district to assist residents stranded after the Neera river altered its course due to the intense downpour. Pune city also experienced moderate rainfall in several localities.
Impact Shorts
View AllMumbai, meanwhile, experienced heavy rainfall on Sunday, which the India Meteorological Department (IMD) clarified as pre-monsoon showers.
Earlier this year, the IMD had predicted a prolonged summer across Maharashtra, including Mumbai. But the city experienced significant pre-monsoon rainfall this month, primarily due to a low-pressure area over the east-central Arabian Sea, off the south Konkan-Goa coast. A trough extending from the associated cyclonic circulation to northern Telangana also contributed to rainfall in Mumbai and several isolated areas across the state.
According to IMD observatories, total rainfall recorded in Mumbai till Sunday stood at 159.2 mm at Colaba and 164.3 mm at Santacruz. The city has been placed under a yellow alert until 28 May, warning of the likelihood of heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph.
Similar weather alerts have been issued across coastal Maharashtra. Palghar is under a yellow alert until 27 May, and Thane until 29 May. The coastal districts of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg are under an orange alert, indicating the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall until 29 May. Raigad is under an orange alert until 26 May.
On Sunday, the maximum and minimum temperatures recorded at the Santacruz observatory were 34.7°C and 24.4°C, respectively. At the Colaba observatory, the temperature ranged between 32°C and 24.4°C. Humidity levels remained high, reaching 92% at both stations.
The southwest monsoon officially made landfall in Kerala on Saturday, 25 May, marking its earliest arrival over the Indian mainland since 2009, when it reached the southern state on 23 May.