Mumbai has recorded its third-highest rainfall for September since 1954, at 844.7 mm. Another spell of heavy rainfall in the remaining two weeks of the month can help it break the all-time record of 920 mm in 1954.
This year’s monsoon has broken various records in July and August. The Hindu reported recently that the monsoon has crossed the 3,000 mm mark, which had last happened in 2011. So far, Mumbai’s total rainfall is at 3398.6 mm, 135.19% of the annual average. On this day last year, Mumbai had received only 87.65% of the annual average.
The rainfall for September may even break the all-time record. Since 1954, the September rainfall has crossed the 800 mm mark only four times, including in the current year. In September 1954, the all-time record was at 920 mm, followed by 821 mm in 1981 and 904.6 mm in 1993. In the 24 hours till 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Santacruz saw rainfall of 41.3 mm. The Colaba observatory too received 6.2 mm rain in the 24-hour span, with a total of 2364.6 mm in this season. “One good heavy rainfall day at Santacruz can break the all-time record,” said K.S. Hosalikar, deputy director general of IMD Mumbai.
