New Delhi: Mumbai is currently locked in a highly uncomfortable phase of oppressive, pre-monsoon heat that is showing no signs of relief. On Tuesday evening,
the city recorded 31 degrees Celsius with the relative humidity levels consistently hovering around 66 per cent.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has maintained its yellow alert for the region, warning citizens that the heat index remains significantly higher than the actual thermometer readings. They have urged people to limit direct exposure to the sun during peak afternoon hours as the heavy coastal air creates a persistent, greenhouse-like trap across the city.
Weather forecast for today
According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Mumbai and its suburbs are expected to see partly cloudy skies on Wednesday, May 20. The maximum temperature is predicted to peak at 33 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature is unlikely to drop below a warm 27 degrees Celsius.
Even though the capital city itself will remain largely dry and hazy, the state’s overall weather patterns are divided.
Maharashtra weather update
The IMD notes that light to moderate rain or thundershowers are very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of South Konkan-Goa and South Madhya Maharashtra. As temperatures continue to soar, electricity consumption across the country has surged to an all-time high. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Power said peak power demand touched a record 260.45 gigawatts.
Meanwhile, the northern stretches including parts of North Konkan, North Madhya Maharashtra, and Marathwada, could witness light rain or thundershowers, bringing a temporary respite to a select few towns.
The weather situation has turned genuinely severe in several regions. On Tuesday, Amravati registered the highest temperature in the state, reaching a staggering 46.8 degrees Celsius while Wardha followed closely behind at 46.5 degrees Celsius.
The intense heatwave easily cleared the 45-degree threshold across major hubs like Nagpur, Akola, and Yavatmal, completely emptying out prominent shopping districts and arterial roads by mid-afternoon.
An ‘orange alert’ remains active for several districts in Vidarbha with meteorologists confirming that dry, continental winds and a total lack of cloud cover will sustain these conditions for the next few days.
Early monsoon arrival expected
With the city feeling like a pressure cooker, all eyes have shifted to the southwest monsoon’s progression. The senior officials at the IMD have confirmed that the rain-bearing system is moving steadily and is expected to hit the coast of Kerala around May 26, nearly a week ahead of its conventional schedule.
If current atmospheric dynamics persist across the Arabian Sea, the monsoon is projected to enter southern Maharashtra in the opening days of June, making the monsoon arrival in Mumbai around June 5 or 6.
