Mumbai woke up to a wet and thundery Wednesday morning, with heavy cloud cover, lightning, and gusty winds sweeping across the city and surrounding districts, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgrading its weather alert for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) from yellow to orange (a heightened risk of flooding in streets, streams, and vulnerable zones), warning residents to brace for more intense weather conditions.

Rain and thunder activity began late Tuesday across Mumbai, Thane, and parts of Palghar, following a day of unusually high temperatures. On Tuesday, the IMD recorded maximum temperatures of 34°C at both its Santacruz and Colaba observatories, while the minimum temperature touched 29°C, over two degrees above the season’s normal. But the city saw some relief as strong winds and thunder clouds rolled in, bringing widespread rainfall to several pockets.