Delayed by Cyclone Biparjoy, the monsoon will set over the city in the next 48 hours, meteorologists have predicted. Although scattered rains will be witnessed from June 24, the monsoon is likely to advance in the city and adjoining areas the following day. June 28, 1974, holds the record for the latest arrival of the monsoon ever since it was recorded. The rainy season began on June 25 in 1959 and 2019 respectively.

“Since the westerly winds have grown stronger, the amount of rain will start to increase in a day or two. In Mumbai, rains will begin in two days. After that, rain activities will also pick up in Maharashtra’s interiors,” said an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official. The IMD has predicted moderate rainfall (green alert) from June 23 to June 25, following which the downpour will intensify. “The scattered rains on Friday in some of the areas in the city were pre-monsoon showers. Heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely on June 26 and June 27,” Sushma Nair, a scientist with India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) regional centre at Colaba, said.