Isolated heavy rain likely this week: IMD

MUMBAI: After a dry spell last week, weathermen are expecting rain to pick up in the city this week. The India Meteorological Department (Mumbai) has forecast isolated heavy rain for parts of North Konkan, which includes Mumbai, in the

week

ahead.

While there was no rain in the island city on Sunday, meagre rainfall was recorded in the suburbs. The IMD Colaba observatory recorded no rain, while the IMD

Santacruz

observatory recorded 0.8mm from 8.30am-5.30pm. The IMD has forecast one or two spells of rain or showers for Monday.

The weathermen said the reason for the current dry spell was that there was no favourable

weather

system developing to give the city good showers. But some isolated showers are expected around July 12-13, IMD said. “There is an upper air cyclonic circulation over western parts of Bihar, and in case of it moving northwards, parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra, including Mumbai, can expect isolated heavy showers,” said Ajay Kumar, a scientist from IMD Mumbai.

IMD has also forecast heavy rainfall in the districts of North Konkan during July 12-13.

The maximum temperatures were about one degree above normal at the

Colaba

and Santacruz observatories. The maximum temperature recorded by IMD Colaba was 32.2 degrees Celsius, while Santacruz recorded 32.3 degrees. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature recorded by IMD Colaba was 26.5 degrees Celsius and Santacruz was 24.6 degrees.

From June 1 this year, the total rainfall recorded by IMD Colaba has been 594.9mm, and at IMD Santacruz it was 711.8mm, which is much below the average required. In the case of IMD Colaba, rainfall is almost 216.5mm below average, while for Santacruz it is 70.4mm.