Mumbai Gets First Rain Of The Year: Pre-Monsoon Showers Likely Till Weekend

As predicted earlier, Mumbai received its first pre-monsoon shower of this season yesterday. Incidentally, this was the first rain of this year for the coastal city. After the withdrawal of the monsoon, the capital city nearly dries up and hardly observes any winter rainfall. Also, this is an early incursion of pre-monsoon activity, which otherwise happens around mid-May or even later. In 2022 and 2023, the pre-monsoon showers were witnessed just before the onset of the southwest monsoon in the first week of June.

The airport observatory in Santa Cruz recorded 2 mm of rainfall, and Colaba gained another millimetre to register 3mm during the same period. Normally, the pre-monsoon showers are not very intense for the city. The month of May has a normal rainfall of a mere 11 mm, and even one good shower is enough to capture the monthly average. More showers are in the offing for the city and suburbs, possibly till the weekend.

There is a cyclonic circulation over South Rajasthan and Gujarat in the lower levels. This feature is drawing a strong stream of moist southwesterly winds all along the Konkan and South Gujarat Coast. Rains have been heavy in Gujarat and light to moderate around Mumbai. Matheran, Dahanu, Navi Mumbai, Colaba, and other suburbs witnessed showers last night. The cyclonic circulation will now shift over the Northeast Arabian Sea, closer to the coast of Saurashtra and South Gujarat. This will persist over the region with marginal drift, left and right, but staying in the close proximity of the Konkan Coast.

The entire Konkan Coast will be swept by moisture-laden southerly and southwesterly winds for the next 4 days, between 07th and 10th May 2025. Orographic rise of these winds along the Ghats will trigger more pre-monsoon activity. Rain and thundershowers are likely for the city and surrounding areas during this period. Rains may not be heavy enough to the extent of causing disruption in normal activities. Yet, the showers could be sharp and intense in some areas, albeit for a brief duration. Temperature is likely to drop significantly and may stay under 30°C for a couple of days during this week.