37°C to Dust Storms: Mumbai and Thane hit by sudden “storm-like” activity as IMD issues emergency nowcast

May 7, 2026 Headlinesnews

3 min readMumbaiMay 7, 2026 10:53 PM IST

Amidst a yellow alert of hot and humid conditions, storm-like activity and gusty winds lashed the suburbs of Mumbai, and its neighbouring pockets of Thane and Navi Mumbai on Thursday evening. The sudden shift in weather conditions came after the region clocked in maximum temperatures of 37 degrees on Thursday afternoon.

In what left the city sweltering through the afternoon, the automatic weather station in Ram Mandir recorded above normal temperatures at 37 degrees, followed by 35 degrees in Vikhroli and Bandra. During the same period, Thane observatory also registered 37 degrees on the mercury scale. The above normal temperatures come amidst a yellow alert of hot and humid conditions which is in place across the Konkan region till Saturday.

However, after 4 pm, a sudden shift in weather conditions was observed in Thane, Navi Mumbai and several suburban pockets of Mumbai as strong winds swept the region. Gusty winds left dust swirling across several pockets with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a nowcast warning for Thane, Navi Mumbai and districts like Palghar, Raigad and Ratnagiri owing to possibility of gusty winds at the speed of 30-40 kmph, thunderstorms, lightning and rain.

While the IMD issued a nowcast warning at 4 pm, the sudden stormy conditions swept the region amid no warnings of thunderstorms.

The forecast for the Konkan region had predicted a possibility of hot and humid conditions. In the aftermath of the storm-like conditions, the IMD at 5.05 pm updated its forecast bulletin for Thane and Palghar, placing the districts under a yellow alert owing to the likelihood of thunderstorms and light rain until Friday morning.

The storm-like conditions were short-lived with rain, thunder and lightning eluding the city. Despite the nowcast warning of light showers, Mumbai as well as its neighbouring pockets remained dry with the IMD observatories recording ‘NIL’ rainfall until 5.30 pm on Thursday.

According to IMD director, Bikram Singh, the event was a likely result of thundercloud development in the nearby region. “The support from an active cyclonic circulation, along with moisture and heat in the atmosphere, leads to the formation of clouds. Even though the thunderclouds were a few kilometres away, it carried gusty winds in the nearby regions owing to which eastern suburbs of the city experienced such activity,” Singh told The Indian Express.

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While no alerts have been issued in the Konkan region, several districts of Maharashtra including the Vidarbha and Marathwada region are currently placed under yellow warnings owing to the likelihood of thunderstorm activity.

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai’s residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)

Specialized Focus: Nayonika’s reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India’s largest metropolitan area.

Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:

Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).

Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).

Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai’s hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.

Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.

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