Mumbai: The city saw its heaviest spell of rainfall in at least three weeks on Monday, with the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) automatic weather station in Santacruz recording 42.6mm of rain (in eight hours between 8:30 am and 5:30 am). This was despite a drier morning, with just 2.8mm of rain recorded 24 hours. Official forecasts predict continued heavy showers in the city and suburbs until at least July 16, after which rainfall intensity will reduce. Doppler radar images from as late as 1:30 am on Sunday showed the presence of rain clouds around the city, but the presence of a cyclonic circulation offshore prevented moisture-laden clouds from penetrating inland. However, the cyclonic circulation moved northward during the day while intensifying into a low-pressure area, allowing rain bands to move in over the city and cause isolated heavy showers through the afternoon and evening.

Ratnagiri, for example, recorded 92mm of rain in eight hours on Monday. Within a 24-hour period, areas along the same coast recorded very heavy rainfall, touching 350mm in Murud, 230mm in Dapoli and 124mm in Harnai. “The westerlies resumed during the day and were strengthened by a low-pressure system currently prevailing over the west-central Bay of Bengal as well. The synoptic situation is good for widespread rain over the Konkan coast next few days,” said DrJayantaSarkar, head of IMD’s regional forecasting centre in Mumbai, on Monday evening.

As per official forecasts, the maximum temperature over the next two days is expected to hover around 31 degrees Celsius and the minimum temperature at 24 degrees Celsius -- down from 31.5 degrees and 25.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, on Monday.