As Mumbai gears up for Ganeshotsav festivities, the city is expected to experience moderate rainfall throughout the week, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). While Mumbai itself will not face any significant weather warnings, nearby districts, including Thane, Palghar, and Raigad, have been placed on yellow alert due to the possibility of heavy downpours in isolated areas.

Rainfall Forecast During Ganeshotsav

The IMD has predicted moderate rainfall in Mumbai from September 8 to 14, with occasional light showers in between. The weather forecast indicates cloudy skies with moderate rain on certain days, while temperatures will hover between 25°C to 32°C during this period. However, heavy rain is likely to evade the city, keeping celebrations relatively uninterrupted by intense weather.

In contrast, neighbouring districts such as Thane and Palghar are under a yellow alert until Tuesday morning, and Raigad will remain under alert until Thursday, potentially experiencing heavy rainfall in scattered regions. These areas are likely to bear the brunt of the monsoon during the upcoming week, while Mumbai will witness only moderate rainfall.

Impact on Water Levels and Lake Stock

While Mumbai has seen consistent rain since the start of the monsoon season in June, the intensity of showers has lessened in recent days. Last weekend, rainfall in the city was limited, with the IMD’s Santacruz observatory recording just 7.4 mm of rain and the Colaba station registering "trace" amounts, a term used when rainfall is too small to measure precisely.

This decline in rainfall has started to affect Mumbai's water supply. As of Sunday, the total stock in the city's seven lakes, which supply water to Mumbai, dropped to 97.75% (14.14 lakh million litres), down from nearly 99% just two days earlier. These lakes—Tulsi, Vihar, Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Upper Vaitarna, and Middle Vaitarna—depend on monsoon rains to fill up, and any significant drop in rainfall can have a direct impact on the city's water reserves.

Monsoon Season and Withdrawal

Since the onset of the monsoon in June, Mumbai’s Santacruz weather station has recorded 2,514 mm of rain, nearly 9% higher than the seasonal average of 2,318 mm. However, the recent dip in rainfall intensity has raised concerns about whether the city will continue to receive adequate water supplies until the official monsoon withdrawal date of October 10.

As Mumbai celebrates Ganeshotsav under cloudy skies and light showers, residents can look forward to relatively dry weather while staying alert to any changes in the forecast, particularly for those planning to travel to nearby districts under weather warnings.