Unseasonal Rainfall Hits Mumbai; IMD Attributes to Arabian Sea Low-Pressure System

Mumbai, 10th January 2024: Mumbai witnessed unexpected and unseasonal rainfall in January, affecting various western suburbs including Andheri, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra, and Borivali. The India Meteorology Department (IMD) attributed this unusual weather event to a low-pressure system in the Arabian Sea.

According to Sunil Kamble, the head of IMD Mumbai, cloudy conditions prevailed over the city since Tuesday afternoon. The rainfall intensified in the late evening, associated with a trough formed in the Arabian Sea, extending between Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Kamble highlighted that these unexpected weather changes are part of a regular seasonal cycle, contributing to unusually cold conditions in Maharashtra. Apart from Mumbai, the IMD anticipated rainfall in Konkan districts such as Raigad and Ratnagiri. Additionally, there was a forecast for a drop in temperature from Wednesday onwards.

The IMD had issued a prior warning for light to moderate rains in districts across Marathwada and western Maharashtra, anticipating this unusual weather pattern.

Kamble explained that the formation of a low-pressure area during a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal involves various atmospheric factors. Warm ocean water heats the air above it, causing the air to rise. As the warm, moist air ascends, it creates a lower pressure area at the surface, initiating a feedback loop that draws in more air from surrounding regions. The Coriolis effect, a result of the Earth’s rotation, imparts a rotational spin to the inflowing air, leading to the development of a cyclonic circulation. As the system gains strength, it may evolve into a tropical depression, storm, or cyclone, with the low-pressure centre serving as its core. The warm waters of the Bay of Bengal provide an environment conducive to the formation and intensification of such tropical weather systems.