The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Mumbai and several districts in Maharashtra, including Palghar and Satara, forecasting severe thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy rain. Gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 km/h are expected to impact isolated areas, creating dangerous conditions across the region on Wednesday evening.
The IMD has urged residents to take necessary precautions as the weather worsens, warning of potentially hazardous conditions outdoors.
Flight operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport have already been severely disrupted. An Indigo flight was forced to abort its landing due to wind shear, diverting to Ahmedabad. As of 8:09 p.m., seven go-arounds and two diversions had been reported, with more flight delays and disruptions expected as the adverse weather persists.
In a statement, SpiceJet advised passengers, “Due to bad weather (heavy rain) in Mumbai (BOM), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may get affected,” urging travelers to check their flight status on the airline’s website.
The relentless downpour has also crippled Mumbai’s suburban train network, a key lifeline for the city. Rail tracks at Kurla, Bhandup, and Vikhroli stations on the Central Railway (CR) line have been submerged, causing delays of up to an hour. Train cancellations have begun on the Western Railway (WR) line, resulting in heavy crowding at Churchgate and other stations. Commuters are facing long waits, and additional complications have arisen as trains are not halting at certain stations, including Nahur, Kanjurmarg, and Vidyavihar.
The IMD has warned of intensified rainfall and thunderstorms over the next few days, with widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall expected across Mumbai, Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, and Marathwada. The rainfall is projected to range between 64.5 mm and 204.4 mm, with certain areas likely to experience extreme heavy rainfall exceeding 204.5 mm.
The adverse weather is attributed to a trough extending from North Konkan to South Bangladesh, interacting with a cyclonic circulation over South Chhattisgarh, which is intensifying the conditions across the region.
With continued disruptions to flights, trains, and road traffic, the IMD has advised residents to stay updated with official advisories and limit non-essential outdoor travel as the heavy rainfall and thunderstorms persist across Maharashtra.
