Mumbai on high alert as rains, flood chaos remain after monsoon's record-breaking onset

Mumbai woke up to another wet morning on Tuesday, as light drizzles marked the second day of this year’s unusually early southwest monsoon. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects the rain to pick up through the day, with a red alert till 8: 30 am in place for heavy rainfall at isolated spots.

This isn’t just any monsoon. It’s a record-shattering arrival — the earliest onset over Mumbai in over 70 years, just two days after the monsoon hit Kerala and a day after reaching Devgad in Ratnagiri district.

A century-old record washed away

May 2024 is now officially Mumbai’s wettest May on record. The Colaba observatory logged 439 mm of rain this month, smashing the previous May record of 279.4 mm set in 1918. Even Cyclone Tauktae in 2021 didn’t come close, with just 257.8 mm.

Santacruz wasn’t far behind, with 272 mm so far — though the record there remains 387 mm (May 2000).

Red alert in Mumbai

What started as a yellow alert on Monday morning quickly escalated as rain lashed the city. The IMD raised the warning to orange by afternoon and then to red as waterlogging and disruption reports poured in.

Travel advisory

IndiGo advises travelers in Mumbai to stay alert as heavy rains are disrupting flight operations. With waterlogging likely on roads to the airport, passengers should allow extra time to reach their flights. To avoid inconvenience, check your flight status regularly and plan your journey accordingly.

South Mumbai takes the brunt

From midnight of Sunday, 25 May 2025, to 11:00 a.m. on Monday, 26 May 2025, the following locations recorded the highest rainfall:

• Nariman Point Fire Station: 252 mm
• Ward A Office: 216 mm
• Municipal Headquarter: 214 mm
• Colaba Pumping Station: 207 mm
• Eye Hospital, Don Taki: 202 mm
• C Ward Office (Chandanwadi, Marine Lines): 180 mm
• Memonwada Fire Station: 183 mm
• Britannia Pumping Station, Worli: 171 mm
• Nariyalwadi School, Santacruz: 103 mm
• Supari Tank, Bandra: 101 mm
• District Collector Colony, Chembur: 82 mm
• L ward Office, Kurla: 76 mm

Despite the intensity, the IMD clarified that this wasn’t a cloudburst, as no location met the 100 mm-per-hour threshold.

What’s next?

More heavy showers are expected through Tuesday morning, but a slight respite may arrive by Wednesday, according to IMD forecasts. Until then, expect more rain, possible disruptions, and keep those umbrellas handy.