With a day to spare, Mumbai gets 731 mm of rain this month; it might move to second spot if it rains more than 26 mm today
A family with young children caught in the rain outside Borivli station on Wednesday. Pic/Satej Shinde
As cyclone-triggered heavy showers left Mumbai drenched on Wednesday, the rainfall for this month touched 731 mm, making it the third wettest September in the past decade. If the city receives more than 26 mm of rain on Thursday, it will move to the second position. In 2019, Mumbai had received 1,116 mm rainfall, the highest for this month. It was 757 mm in 2016.
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The average rainfall, based on the data between 1980-2010, for September is 341.4 mm, but in the past six years, with the exception of 2018, the month has received much more rain. In the last month of the 2019 monsoon, the city had seen the highest rainfall of 1,116 mm since 2011.
A man runs to escape heavy showers in Borivli on Wednesday. Pic/Satej Shinde
July and August are considered the real rainy months when over 65 per cent of rainfall occurs. However, this August was relatively drier, with Mumbai getting only 338 mm rainfall against the average of 585 mm.
However, it has rained almost on all days through September. The recent formation of cyclones Gulab and Shaheen has brought more rain to the city and the state. In 2016, the city received 757 mm rainfall in September which is close to so far this month. If the rain continues, the month will be in the second wettest in the past decade. In 2018, just 73 mm rainfall was recorded in September and the city faced a 10 per cent water cut till this monsoon.
Shubhangi Bhute, a scientist with IMD-Mumbai, said, “The low-pressure area in the Arabian sea will be further intensified in the next 24 hours and form cyclone Shaheen which will be headed to Pakistan.” Due to the formation of a low-pressure area, the city saw heavy rain. Moderate rain is likely in Mumbai on Thursday, said weather officials.
Lakes almost full
The seven lakes that supply water to Mumbai were 98.96 per cent full on Wednesday. While the reservoirs have a combined capacity of 14.47 lakh million litres, the water stock stood at 14.32 lakh ML. The lakes were 99.12 per cent full in 2020 and in 99.05 per cent in 2019 on the same day.
757mm
Sept rainfall in 2016
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