Monday, May 03, 2010

Mumbai Special: April Analysis:
April 2010, has been one hot month this year for Mumbai. Heat and humidity, has made this month seemingly like May to the citizens. I have rarely witnessed so many days in an April, with the day & night temperatures consistently higher than normal almost throughout the month.
An illustrious diagram from the CPC (NOAA) for Mumbai in 3 parts:
1. The average temperature is above normal throughout the month, as shown in red. The red is constant, almost teasingly,and moves smoothly right through the month.
2. The average for the full month was above normal by 1.46c, which, for an average is anyway high, and for Mumbai, which normally has a day/night range of only 6c in April, this is really HIGH.
3. The actual day & night temperatures are shown here. A high of 37c, on the 3rd, 8th, & 30th, and many lows of 28c in April as seen this year, are rare.Yes,believe me this is not seen too often.
But these readings are still far from the highest ever. The record for April at Colaba is 40.6c (19th.1955), and 42.2c (14th.1952) at S'cruz.
But the case this year is of the large number of "above normal" days in April.
Now, what is in store for the city in May? A city, which is already short of water. A city, which has started drawing on the reserves of 2 out of the 6 lakes providing water, and the remaning 4 lakes are at their lowest level. A city,which needs rains, as soon as possible ! It has water stocks upto 15th. July only.

Naturally,it needs rains,if you ask me,from "tomorrow"!
Now, for the next week,upto 10th. May at least,I see no rain in Mumbai. There will be only partly cloudy skies, and the prevailing hot temperatures will continue. Temperatures next week will be in the range of 35c -27c.
Lets keep a watch for a stray dark nimbus cloud ! Today,seeing one will call for a celebration !

But, as of now, it seems the Monsoon will be on time.
Mumbai should get its regular Monsoon rains from the 9th. of June. But,look up to the skies for pre monsoon thundershowers from the 1st. of June.
In my next Monsoon Watch analysis (on this blog by 5th. May), we will update the ever changing situation, and monitor the monsoon progress.
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