Maharashtra weather update: IMD issues yellow alert for Mumbai; Palghar, Pune under red alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Palghar, Raigad, Pune, Ratnagiri, Satara, and Nandurbar districts due to heavy to very heavy rainfall expected in the next 24 hours. Mumbai is under a yellow alert, while Thane has an orange alert according to the IMD's latest five-day forecast.

Sunil Kamble, director of IMD's Mumbai centre, stated that the heavy rain conditions are likely to continue until 8:30 am on August 26, with an increase in intensity expected after that. The IMD's Santacruz observatory recorded 83 mm of rain, and Colaba recorded 46 mm till 8:30 am on Sunday.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)'s automated weather systems reported 73 mm of rain in the eastern suburbs, 69 mm in the western suburbs, and 51 mm in the island city during the same period.

The water stock in the lakes supplying water to Mumbai stood at 95.27% on Sunday. Rains returned to Mumbai on Saturday, providing relief from the intense heat. The IMD has forecasted more showers in the coming days, with Santacruz receiving 59 mm and Colaba 14 mm of rainfall.

Other parts of Maharashtra have also recorded heavy rainfall, with Harnai in Ratnagiri and Dahanu in Palghar receiving 116 mm and 143 mm respectively. Marathwada saw rainfall with Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar recording 43 mm, and Nanded and Parbhani receiving 48 mm and 55 mm respectively.

An orange alert has been issued for Pune, Satara, Amravati, Bhandara, Chandrapur, and Gondia districts. A yellow alert has been issued for several districts in western Maharashtra and Marathwada.

The weather pattern is due to a low-pressure area over northern West Bengal and northeastern Jharkhand, along with another low-pressure system over the east-central Arabian Sea near the Maharashtra coast, expected to bring rain to most parts of the state over the next 48 hours.