Mumbai rain: After a dry August, will September bring relief? What IMD predicts

Mumbai experienced a significant rainfall deficit in August, receiving only 35% of its monthly average due to the influence of El Niño conditions and inactive weather systems, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This made August the second-driest month in South Mumbai in a decade, with the Santacruz observatory recording just 318 mm of rainfall, or 57% of the average 560.8 mm. The city saw only patchy drizzles in August, following a wet July, and heavy rainfall largely avoided Mumbai.

In contrast, July saw active weather systems in the central Bay of Bengal, which brought rain to the western coast, including Mumbai. However, after the first week of August, weather systems shifted to the north-west region of the Bay of Bengal, leaving the west coast deficient in rainfall. El Niño, characterized by above-normal sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, is associated with weaker southwest monsoon winds and below-average rainfall in India.

Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather Services noted that the lack of weather systems and the strengthening El Niño conditions led to Mumbai's rainfall deficit in August. Looking ahead to September, the IMD predicts below-normal rainfall and an increase in maximum temperatures. While drizzles are expected in the coming days, Mumbai is likely to continue receiving inadequate rainfall, further exacerbating the dry spell that began in July.