The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘yellow’ alert on Monday, warning of moderate rainfall in several districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, from May 19 to May 23.

The yellow alert has been issued for five days for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Dhule. It is also valid for other districts of Maharashtra for a period ranging from one day to four days.

The IMD has estimated “thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, light to moderate rainfall, and gusty winds (40-50 kmph) at isolated places.”

Additionally, the weather forecasting agency has issued an ‘orange’ alert for some districts in Konkan, Marathwada, north Maharashtra and western Maharashtra, including the ghat region.

In the ghat sections of Pune district, the orange alert has been issued for all five days. For the other districts in western Maharashtra, Konkan, Marathwada and north Maharashtra, the orange alert has been issued for a period ranging from one to four days.

IMD has forecasted “heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms with lightning, and gusty winds (50-60 kmph) at isolated places,” for the areas under the orange alert.

Notably, some parts of Maharashtra have witnessed pre-monsoon showers, along with lightning and thunderstorms, since last week.

Monsoon to arrive early in India

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon is expected to arrive in India earlier than usual. According to IMD, it will reach Kerala in the next four to five days.

The weather department had earlier forecast that the monsoon would onset over Kerala by May 27. The southwest monsoon typically hits Kerala on June 1. If the monsoon arrives in Kerala by May 27, it will be the earliest onset since 2009, when it began on May 23, as per IMD data.

Generally, the southwest monsoon begins over Kerala on June 1 and covers the entire country by July 8. The monsoon starts retreating from northwest India by September 17 and withdraws completely by October 15. Last year, the monsoon arrived in Kerala on May 30.