Mumbai surpasses annual monsoon quota as rain returns: More showers expected?

With showers back in Maharashtra, Mumbai has surpassed its annual average rain quota in the monsoon season, with the suburbs recording 2,442.6 mm of rain since the onset of the southwest monsoon in June until Tuesday morning, September 15.

Mumbai receives its annual rainfall quota during the monsoon season between June and September. During these four months, the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) climatological records show that its Santacruz observatory records an average of 2,389 mm of rainfall, while the Colaba coastal station in the island city division receives 2,103 mm of rain.

Even as the monsoon period is yet to conclude, the IMD's Santacruz station has surpassed its seasonal monsoon average quota for the year with a surplus of 2 percent until now. According to IMD data, the Santacruz station clocked in 2,442.6 mm of rain between June and Tuesday morning.

However, the island city division is lagging, with the Colaba observatory recording only 1,896 mm of rain in the said period. The suburbs surpassed their seasonal monsoon rainfall as moderate rainfall returned to the city over the weekend, with pockets of the city receiving over 100 mm of rainfall between Sunday and Monday morning.

The monsoon season this year was characterised by an extended dry spell due to the El Niño system, known to affect the southwest monsoon. Data shows that Mumbai reeled under a significant rainfall deficit in June and August.

In June, while Mumbai received only 414 mm of rainfall – a 25 percent deficit in the month's actual average rain – the city recorded only 57 percent of the month's actual seasonal average rainfall in August. But in July, suburban and the island city stations registered over 1,000 mm of rainfall in a week.

Last year, Mumbai had surpassed its annual average rainfall quota by August. According to meteorologists, the region is unlikely to receive any more heavy spells of rainfall, with the IMD forecasting light to moderate showers until the weekend.

It will finally retreat in October. With the city surpassing its annual monsoon rain quota, the total stock in the seven lakes touched 97.94 percent of its total capacity on Tuesday morning, accounting for 14.71 lakh litres.

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.

Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T) Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.

Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including: Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).

Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).

Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.

Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.

Tweets @nayonikakb ... Read More