Temperatures expected to hover around 35 degrees Celsius; pre-monsoon rains in peninsular India continue to impact weather patterns, with both positive and negative implications for agriculture
Mumbai received temporary respite from the heat after experiencing light rainfall on the night of April 1. Pic/Kirti Surve Parade
After a brief yet much-needed spell of light rainfall across the city and other parts of Western Maharashtra, residents experienced temporary relief from the scorching heat. However, meteorologists warn that while temperatures are expected to remain around 35 degrees Celsius, rising humidity levels will likely cause more discomfort in the coming days.
Meanwhile, pre-monsoon rains in peninsular India continue to impact weather patterns, with both positive and negative implications for agriculture. Experts advise farmers to remain cautious as extreme weather conditions, including hailstorm and high-speed winds, could affect crops that are ready for harvesting in some areas. Nonetheless, soil moisture replenishment is expected to benefit the upcoming agricultural season.
Weather system
Climatologist Rajesh Kapadia of Vagaries of the Weather, a popular private weather blog, explained that an upper air circulation over central Maharashtra, which persisted on April 2, led to cloudiness and light to moderate rainfall in the region.
Mahesh Palawat, vice-president, Meteorology and Climate Change, Skymet Weather
“Central Maharashtra saw moderate rains, with Sangli receiving 34 mm, Mahabaleshwar 5 mm, and Kolhapur 3 mm. Several parts of Pune also experienced showers. Mumbai remained under cloudy and dull weather conditions on April 2, with some areas witnessing negligible drizzles. The prevailing atmospheric circulation is expected to persist for another two days, leading to continued cloudy weather and light drizzles in parts of Mumbai until Friday,” Kapadia said while speaking about Mumbai weather updates.
Weather predictions for city, state
Kapadia, while speaking about Mumbai weather updates, added: “Over the next two days, Mumbai will continue to experience warm and humid conditions. Night temperatures will remain high at around 25 degrees Celsius, with daytime temperatures peaking at 35 degrees. Due to humidity, the ‘real feel’ temperature will be around 37 degrees. Air quality in the city is unlikely to improve significantly, with the AQI expected to range between 130 and 170.”
Independent weather enthusiast Rushikesh Agre, known as Mumbai Rains on X, stated on Wednesday, “Mumbai woke up to yet another cloudy morning on April 2. Many areas in interior Maharashtra may experience hailstorms, intense rain, and high-speed wind gusts today. Thunderstorms are also possible in scattered parts of Mumbai.”
Meteorologists from Skymet Weather, a private weather forecasting agency, have reported a significant rise in pre-monsoon rainfall across peninsular India between March 1 and April 1, recording a 29 per cent surplus. However, the rest of the country remains rain-deficient, with east and northeast India facing a 42 per cent shortfall, while central India lags by 40 per cent.
Impact on agriculture
Experts say while hailstorm and high-speed winds in parts of Maharashtra, including Vidarbha and Marathwada, could damage ready-to-harvest crops, the replenishment of soil moisture is expected to be beneficial for the upcoming crop season.
Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather, stated, “Light rainfall will continue for a day or two in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. However, rainfall is likely to intensify and extreme weather conditions, including hailstorms and high-speed winds, are likely in Vidarbha, Marathwada, and other isolated areas from April 3. While these conditions may adversely impact some crops ready for harvesting, they will ultimately support agricultural activities by maintaining soil moisture levels.”
Trends in southern India
Weather patterns across peninsular India indicate increased rainfall activity, Skymet Weather stated. Meteorologists from Skymet stated that Tamil Nadu, South Interior Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep have recorded ‘large excess’ rainfall, while Coastal Karnataka and North Interior Karnataka fall under the ‘excess’ category. A cyclonic circulation over central Maharashtra, coupled with a trough extending from south Chhattisgarh to the Comorin area, is expected to intensify rainfall over the southern states in the coming days.
The experts added that on April 2, light to moderate rains with isolated heavy spells were reported in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. By April 3, rainfall is expected to intensify, with heavy to very heavy showers predicted in Telangana and Karnataka. Thunderstorms and gusty winds could accompany these downpours. Rain intensity may gradually decrease from April 5 onward, but scattered showers and thunderstorms will likely persist over Tamil Nadu, South Karnataka, Kerala and Rayalaseema for another week.
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