Pune: Rainfall returned to parts of Maharashtra over the past 24 hours with moderate showers in sections of Western Ghats and Pune district, but India Meteorological Department said monsoon activity is likely to remain subdued across much of the state over the coming week.“The fresh showers followed formation of a low-pressure area over eastern India. The system is unlikely to trigger a widespread revival of the monsoon over Maharashtra because it is centred over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining Jharkhand and north Odisha and is expected to weaken gradually over the next 24 hours.,” IMD scientist SD Sanap said on Friday.“Since the system is tracking away from Maharashtra and there is no favourable east-west wind shear zone across the state’s latitude or a strong offshore trough along the west coast, conditions remain unfavourable for an active monsoon phase over most parts of the state,” he said.Across Maharashtra, several ghat locations recorded moderate to heavy rainfall during the 24 hours ending Friday morning. Pophali received 65mm of rain, followed by Bhira 57mm, Tamhini 50mm, Ambona 42mm, Shirgaon 40mm, Davdi 35mm and Dongerwadi 32mm. Other stations, including Lonavla (29mm), Khopoli (26mm), Walwhan (23mm), Mulshi Camp (18mm) and Koyna (15mm), also recorded rainfall.The rainfall was largely confined to isolated pockets. During the 24 hours ending 8.30am on Friday, Bhor recorded 9mm of rain, Indapur 4.5mm, Nimgiri 2.5mm and Chinchwad 2mm. Through the remainder of Friday till 5.30pm, showers intensified in some places, with Kurvande receiving 43.5mm, Bhor 29mm, Malin 22mm and Nimgiri 15mm, Indapur 5.5mm, Talegaon 2.5mm, Rajgurunagar 2mm and Koregaon Park 1mm.The IMD has forecast fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over Konkan and Goa between July 18 and 23, while Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and the Gujarat region are likely to receive only isolated to scattered rainfall during the period. Isolated thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, are likely over Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada from July 18 to 19.The forecast is in line with the IMD’s latest extended range outlook, which continues to indicate below-normal rainfall over most of Maharashtra through the rest of July, with only the Konkan coast showing signs of relatively better rainfall activity.
