Mumbai braces for heavy rainfall as cyclone 'Biparjoy' intensifies over Arabian Sea

The weather forecasting agency also predicted strong winds and high waves along the city's coast.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a forecast for heavy rainfall in Mumbai and the Konkan regions until June 12, as cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the southeast Arabian Sea and is likely to further intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours.

The weather forecasting agency also predicted strong winds and high waves along the city's coast, while scattered rains are expected to engulf the entire state of Maharashtra. The capital city of Mumbai, as well as Pune, are likely to experience intense rainfall from June 8 to 10.

“Cyclonic storm Biparjoy over east-central and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea moved nearly northwards with a speed of 2 kmph during the last six hours, intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and lay centred over the same region at 0530 hours, about 890 km west-southwest of Goa, 1,000 km southwest of Mumbai, 1,070 km south-southwest of Porbandar and 1,370 km south of Karachi,” the IMD said.

The developments in the Arabian Sea are also expected to disrupt the onset of the already delayed monsoon in Kerala, which is now expected by June 8-9. After the onset over Kerala, the monsoon will remain "weak" until the storm degenerates around June 12, according to the Met department.

"The powerful weather system in the Arabian Sea may spoil the advancement of the monsoon deep inland. Under their influence, the monsoon stream may reach coastal parts but will struggle to penetrate beyond the Western Ghats," Skymet Weather said on Tuesday.

(With inputs from agencies)

Hindustan Times

(National)