Monsoon Mayhem: IMD Issues Orange Alert for Mumbai, Red Alert in Pune Ghats; Heavy Rains to Lash Maharashtra & West Bengal
Following a brief spell of scorching heat and uncomfortable humidity, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a high-level weather alert across Maharashtra. An active monsoon surge is set to bring heavy to very heavy downpours across coastal, central, and regional belts. Meanwhile, coastal and northern districts of West Bengal are also bracing for intense rainfall accompanied by severe thunderstorms over the next few days.
Konkan and Mumbai Metro Region on High Alert
The IMD has issued a critical Orange Alert for several coastal and industrial hubs. Residents in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar, as well as Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts, can expect torrential rain spells. Coastal Maharashtra is forecast to witness intense downpours with strong winds starting July 23, posing potential disruptions to local travel and low-lying urban areas.
Ghat Areas Brace for Extreme Downpours: Red Alert in Pune
In Western Maharashtra, atmospheric conditions point toward severe weather in high-altitude zones. The IMD has issued a Red Alert for the Pune Ghatmata area, warning of extremely heavy rainfall that could trigger landslides and localised flooding. A similar Orange Alert is active for the Satara Ghats and Nashik Ghats. Meanwhile, urban and plain districts like Pune city, Satara, Sangli, and Kolhapur are expected to record light to moderate showers, with Solapur witnessing light rainfall.
Thunderstorms Forecasted Across North Maharashtra and Marathwada
North Maharashtra is set to experience gusty conditions and lightning strikes. Districts including Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, and Nashik have been placed under a Yellow Alert for thunderous rain. Ahilyanagar district will likely see light to moderate showers. Across the Marathwada region, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Hingoli are on track for moderate rainfall, while Jalna, Parbhani, Beed, Nanded, Latur, and Dharashiv will experience scattered light to moderate showers.
Vidarbha Covered Under Widespread Yellow Warning
The eastern part of Maharashtra will not remain untouched by this weather shift. A blanket Yellow Alert has been declared across all 11 districts of Vidarbha—Nagpur, Amravati, Akola, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Wardha, Yavatmal, and Washim—bringing moderate to heavy showers along with lightning over the coming days.
Active Monsoon Surge Sparks Heavy Rains in West Bengal
Shifting focus to East India, West Bengal is undergoing an active monsoon phase. Downpours will hit coastal belts including North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur hard through July 24. Haldia recently logged the highest regional rainfall at 79 mm, closely followed by Kanthi (55 mm), Asansol (53 mm), and Bankura (46 mm). State capital Kolkata is set to experience thunderstorms featuring gusty winds reaching speeds of 30 to 40 kmph over the next three days. Looking ahead, Sub-Himalayan districts such as Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar are slated for intense rainfall spells between July 26 and July 29.
Maharashtra & Bengal Weather Summary
| District IMD | ||
| Pune Ghatmata | Red Alert | Extremely Heavy Downpours / High Risk |
| Satara Ghats, Nashik Ghats | Orange Alert | Heavy Rainfall Spells |
| North Maharashtra (Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule) | Yellow Alert | Rain accompanied by Thunderstorms |
| Vidarbha Region (Nagpur, Amravati, Chandrapur) | Yellow Alert | Widespread Rain & Gusty Winds |
| Kolkata & Coastal West Bengal | Weather Watch | Severe Thunderstorms (30-40 kmph winds) |
