(MENAFN- Live Mint) Heavy rains lashed Mumbai and its neighbouring regions, including Thane and Raigad, ahead of Diwali on Thursday, October 26, bringing much-needed relief from the October heat.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a“yellow” alert for thunderstorms over several regions for today and tomorrow in its forecast.

Also Read | Yellow alert issued for Hyderabad; city to see rain in next 2–3 hours, says IMD

“Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning, light to moderate rainfall and gusty winds (30/40kmph) at isolated places,” the weather agency said.

The yellow alert has been issued for these districts:

• Thane
• Raigad
• Ratnagiri
• Dhule
• Jalgaon
• Nasik
• Ghats of Nasik
• Ahilyanagar
• Pune
• Ghats of Pune
• Satara
• Ghats of Satara
• Ch. Sambhajinagar
• Beed

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IMD has predicted heavy rains over Raigad, Ratnagiri, Nashik, the Ghats of Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Pune, the Ghats of Pune, Kolhapur, the Ghats of Kolhapur, Satara, and the Ghats of Satara over the next few days.

Mumbai forecast

The IMD predicted thunderstorms and/or light to moderate rain for Mumbai on Thursday. However, the weather agency has forecasted dry days for Mumbai city till Diwali, October 20.

IMD forecast Also Read | Weather alert! Delhi-NCR receives heavy rainfall, check IMD's forecast Southwest monsoon withdraws

The southwest monsoon withdrew from the entire country on Thursday, a day after the usual date of October 15, the IMD said.

At the same time, the northeast monsoon has set in over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, the south interior of Karnataka, and Kerala-Mahe, the IMD said.

This year, the monsoon reached Kerala on May 24, its earliest onset over the Indian mainland since 2009, when it arrived on May 23.

It covered the entire country nine days before the usual date of July 8. This was the earliest the monsoon has covered the entire country since 2020 when it did so by June 26.

The primary rain-bearing system usually makes its onset over Kerala by June 1 and covers the entire country by July 8. It starts retreating from northwest India around September 17 and withdraws completely by October 15.

(With PTI inputs)

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