Maharashtra: BMC alerts citizens after IMD issues 3-hour Orange weather warning for Mumbai, Raigad

00 am today and will be in effect for the next three hours, highlighting a risk of sudden thunderstorms and lightning.

Residents in Mumbai and Raigad have been urged to exercise caution on Tuesday following a fresh nowcast warning issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), citing the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The alert warns of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and moderate rain spells, with gusty winds expected to reach speeds between 30 and 40 kmph in isolated areas. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), an orange alert has been activated for Mumbai and Raigad as of 7:00 am today and will be in effect for the next three hours, highlighting a risk of sudden thunderstorms and lightning.

On Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the Southwest Monsoon has advanced further into several parts of Maharashtra and is likely to progress into additional areas, including Mumbai, over the next 48 hours. According to a press release issued by the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), the monsoon has advanced into more parts of the central Arabian Sea, Maharashtra and Telangana, while covering the remaining parts of Karnataka and extending into parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar.

The weather department said conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into the remaining parts of the central Arabian Sea, some more parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, remaining parts of Telangana and Odisha, some more parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar during the next 48 hours. With the strengthening of westerly winds and the advancement of the monsoon, the IMD has forecast widespread to fairly widespread rainfall activity accompanied by thunderstorms over parts of Maharashtra during the next few days.

The department said heavy rainfall at isolated places is expected over the Konkan region between June 22 and June 26."Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, gusty winds and moderate to heavy rainfall are very likely over parts of Madhya Maharashtra during the same period," the IMD said. For the Marathwada region, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, gusty winds and light to moderate rainfall are likely between June 22 and June 24, it added.

The IMD has also issued a fishermen's warning for the South Maharashtra-Goa coast, advising fishermen not to venture into the sea from June 22 to June 26 due to squally weather conditions and wind speeds of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph. The weather office warned that heavy rainfall may lead to localised flooding and inundation in low-lying and urban areas, flash floods, disruption to road, rail, air and ferry services, damage to standing crops and horticulture, and rough sea conditions along the coast.

The IMD has advised residents to follow traffic advisories, avoid vulnerable structures, stay away from water bodies during thunderstorms and seek shelter in safe locations during adverse weather conditions. Earlier on Monday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), citing the India Meteorological Department (IMD), also issued an Orange warning for Mumbai, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, moderate to intense spells of rainfall and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph at isolated places over the next three hours.

Several parts of Mumbai, including Bandra East, witnessed pre-monsoon showers accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms on Monday morning, bringing relief from the prevailing heat while causing waterlogging and traffic disruptions in some areas. (ANI)