IMD Predicts Heavy Rain in Mumbai, Bengal; Delhi to Get Relief

Mumbai: Delhi may soon see respite from scorching heat as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts thunderstorms and rain on Wednesday, May 21. Temperatures are expected to range between 28°C and 39°C, a drop from Tuesday’s high of 41.8°C, which, combined with high humidity, caused discomfort.

A recent Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) study noted rising nighttime temperatures, humidity, and heat exposure in urban areas like Delhi, categorized as high-risk zones. Showers are also likely on Thursday.

Mumbai Weather:
Pre-monsoon rains hit Mumbai on Tuesday, with heavier downpours in suburbs, disrupting traffic, PTI reported. IMD warns of intensified rainfall in Maharashtra from May 21–24 due to a cyclonic circulation forming off Karnataka’s coast. A low-pressure system may develop by May 22, moving northward and strengthening.

“Heavy rain, thunderstorms, and gusts of 30–40 kmph are expected in south Konkan, Mumbai, and central Maharashtra,” said IMD official Shubhangi Bhute.

West Bengal:
Northern districts may see heavy rain, while southern areas could get thunderstorms till Friday, IMD stated. An upper-air cyclonic circulation over Bangladesh and Bay of Bengal winds will fuel the weather. Affected districts include Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Purulia, and Hooghly.

South India:
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu faced deadly rains, with eight fatalities—five in Karnataka (three in Bengaluru) and three in Madurai from a wall collapse. A ‘yellow alert’ for heavy rain and winds is active till May 22. Kerala is also bracing for heavy showers over the next week, with an early monsoon onset predicted within four to five days—the earliest since 2009.

(Inputs from PTI and IMD)