Three Atmospheric Factors Triggered Maharashtra’s Extreme July Rainfall

The record rainfall that battered Maharashtra this July was not the result of a single system. According to Puranik, three major weather drivers converged: moisture-laden winds from the Somali jet, a cyclonic low pressure over the Bay of Bengal, and an upper‑level wind vortex hovering above Madhya Pradesh. This triple interaction funneled unprecedented amounts of water vapor into the western coastal belt.

Cities such as Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad and the Ghats experienced the heaviest impacts. In some locations, rainfall accumulated up to half a meter in a day, overwhelming drainage networks and causing widespread waterlogging. The meteorologist emphasized that such compound events are rare and underscore the importance of advanced radar networks for micro‑level forecasting.