After a prolonged period of dry spell, Mumbai is set to witness revival of monsoon showers with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert in the city as well as its neighbouring districts of Thane, Palghar and Raigad. Indicating the possibility of a wet weekend, the IMD has forecast moderate showers coupled with thunderstorms and gusty winds between Saturday and Sunday.

Meteorologists and weather experts have indicated that this could be the final heavy spell of the monsoon season in Mumbai, before the ultimate withdrawal of the southwest monsoon.

Athreya Shetty, an independent weather observer attributed the uptick in rain activity to a low pressure system off the Odisha coast, which is expected to become well-marked and intensity over the next couple of days.

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“Gradually, the well-marked system will slowly move westwards and result in good showers, starting Saturday night. The intensity of showers can hover between moderate and heavy. While the rainfall is unlikely to be disruptive, the city may receive between 200 – 300 mm rainfall. This could also be the last heavy spell of monsoon season,” Shetty told Express.

The revival of showers will usher in much respite for the city, which has been reeling under a prolonged period of dry spell. Data procured from the IMD shows that between Wednesday and Thursday morning, the IMD’s Santacruz observatory as well as Colaba coastal observatory recorded ‘NIL’ rainfall.

In fact, heavy spells of rainfall – a typical feature of monsoon months in Mumbai – has eluded the city since August. Records show that Mumbai registered deficit rainfall in the month of August with the suburban station recording a deficit of 44 percent of its actual average rainfall for the season.

However, rainfall is likely to gather pace over the weekend with the weather bureau sounding a yellow alert across Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) from Saturday onwards. According to IMD officials, moderate rain is expected over Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts until Monday morning, following which rain activity will slow down.

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So far, Mumbai has received only 34 mm rainfall in the month of September while the actual average rainfall for the month stands at 384 mm.