Mumbai residents got both the relief and the chaos they expected as the southwest monsoon finally made its long-awaited arrival on Tuesday — about 13 days behind its usual onset date of June 11. The delayed monsoon wasted no time making its presence felt, unleashing torrential rainfall across the city and causing widespread disruption.
Record Rainfall in 24 Hours
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded significant rainfall at both of Mumbai's major weather stations in a 24-hour period. Colaba logged approximately 248 mm of rain, while the Santa Cruz station recorded around 225 mm. Temperatures have dropped noticeably, with the minimum at Santa Cruz falling to 22.4°C — a welcome relief after weeks of oppressive heat and humidity.
Waterlogging and Traffic Chaos
The downpour, which began late Monday night and continued through Tuesday, left several low-lying areas, roads, and subways submerged. Long traffic jams were reported across multiple parts of the city as commuters struggled to navigate flooded streets. Mumbai's lifeline — the suburban local train network — was also affected by the heavy rain.
Yellow Alert Issued for Wednesday
The IMD has issued a Yellow Alert for Mumbai on Wednesday, warning of continued heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds of 30–40 km/h over the next 48 hours. Meteorologists say the monsoon is now fully active and strong rainfall is expected across Mumbai, the Konkan coast, and western Maharashtra in the days ahead.
Residents have been advised to take necessary precautions and keep a close watch on weather updates.