IMD Issues Yellow Alert For Colaba As Mumbai Water Reserves Sit At 7.53 Percent

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Colaba and the wider Mumbai region for June 27 and 28, forecasting thunderstorms with lightning, light to moderate rainfall, and gusty winds at isolated locations. This forecast marks the end of a brief break in the monsoon that had allowed temperatures to rise across the city.

During the recent pause in monsoon activity, daytime temperatures in Colaba rebounded. On Friday, the IMD recorded a maximum temperature of 31.6°C in Colaba, which was 0.6°C above normal. The minimum temperature in the area settled at 26.4°C. In Santacruz, temperatures reached a high of 33.6°C and a minimum of 25.8°C. This stood in contrast to the cooler conditions during the heavy rains earlier in the week, when maximum temperatures were 28.8°C in Colaba and 32.2°C in Santacruz.

The upcoming wet weather follows a period of intense rainfall earlier in the month. Out of the 354 mm of rain recorded in Colaba so far this June, a staggering 247.8 mm fell during a single 24-hour deluge between June 23 and 24. Similarly, Santacruz received 224.8 mm of its 284 mm monthly total during that same intense spell. Friday, however, brought only patchy showers, offering a brief respite before the forecasted storms.

Despite the heavy downpours earlier in the week, Mumbai's water situation remains critical. The seven supply lakes that provide water to the city held just 1.08 lakh million litres on Friday. This represents only 7.53% of their total capacity. The current reserves are significantly lower than those of the previous year, when the lakes held 5.20 lakh million litres, or 35.97% of their capacity, on the same date.