On 15th July, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Mumbai and Thane. This followed unexpected heavy rains that lashed the city and suburbs.

Initially, the IMD had predicted only light to moderate rain (green alert) for Mumbai and the MMR region throughout the week. However, heavy showers began on Tuesday morning. This prompted an update of the alert level to orange for Thane, Raigad (including Navi Mumbai), and Ratnagiri.

IMD officials explained that the sudden downpour was caused by a small offshore vortex—a mesoscale weather system. It moved from Ratnagiri to Raigad around 7 AM. Such vortices form quickly along coastal areas and can trigger intense rain. However, they are difficult to detect with current forecasting tools.

A similar vortex had brought Mumbai to a halt on 8th July, 2024.

Airlines have issued advisories due to weather disruptions. IndiGo warned of temporary flight delays and urged passengers to check flight status and allow extra travel time. SpiceJet also advised passengers that flights to and from Mumbai may be affected due to the ongoing heavy rains.

The IMD stated that moderate rain spells are likely in parts of Mumbai and Thane over the next few hours. This will be accompanied by a chance of thunder, lightning, and gusty winds. Light to moderate rain is expected across Mumbai and its suburbs for the next four days.

Extremely heavy rainfall was also reported in Alibaug and along the Mumbai-Pune route. Pune is expected to see rain until 1 PM.

An orange alert indicates expected rainfall between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm in the next 24 hours. Hence, people are prompted to remain cautious.

Unlock profitable opportunities every day! Unicorn Signals provides actionable intraday trading signals for stocks and futures. Don’t miss out – download Unicorn Signals and start winning now!