The Indian Metrology department has issued a Red Alert for Mumbai and Thane for August 4 and 5. The forecast is of very heavy rainfall and high tide, which has prompted the BMC to ask the citizens to stay indoors and only venture out for essentials and emergencies.

Weather forecaster Skymet too has urged the Mumbaikars to take the warning seriously and not step out as the heavy rains can disrupt transport services.

Mumbai's usual average rainfall for August is 585.5 mm. In the first four days of this month, the city has already received about 50 percent of the average. It is expected that today too the city may receive 100 mm of rainfall, making it the third successive day.

So far, indications are the city may set a new record for August as well, as it had done in July.

Last month, Mumbai received 1500 mm of rainfall, compared to the average of 843 mm of rainfall for July.

So far, Mumbai has received 600 mm of more rainfall than it usually receives during this period.

Skymet says that they do not expect consistent rains in the next 3 days, but a break in the afternoon will be followed by heavy rains in the evening through the night to early morning.

For the country as a whole, July rainfall has been 10 percent below normal.

But August has seen revival of monsoon activity and Mumbai widespread rains in most states in central and northwest India where the deficiency was near 12-14 percent.

First Published:Aug 4, 2020 2:21 PM IST