While the city is prone to witnessing pre monsoon showers starting April, rain activity in March is unusual for the coastal city. (File image)After days of reeling under scorching heat, Mumbai and its neighbouring regions are expected to witness unseasonal activity with light showers and thunderstorms slated to sweep across the region.While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its forecast has said that Mumbai, Thane and Palghar districts are set to experience partly cloudy skies alongside light showers, lightning and thunderstorms till March 20, alerts have been sounded for most districts of Maharashtra until March 20.On Thursday, the weather bureau issued several nowcast warnings for pockets like Akola, Amravati, Washim Wardha, Nagpur, Nanded, Pune, Kolhapur, Nashik among other districts owing to the possibility of thundershowers.What’s leading to the influx of unseasonal showers?Meteorologists have attributed the change in weather systems to interaction of two active systems, which will create a conducive atmosphere for light rain in Mumbai region and more intensive rainfall across other districts of the state.Bikram Singh, director of IMD Mumbai told The Indian Express, “At present, there is a wind discontinuity trough over the peninsular region. Alongside this, there is also a western disturbance over the northern region of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. A trough, associated with this western disturbance, is also extending over the central parts of the country.”“Starting Thursday, these two trough systems are expected to interact. With this, Mumbai region may experience light rain activity while some parts of Marathwada, Vidharbha and Madhya Maharashtra may also experience hail activity,” explained Singh.According to current observations, Mumbai may only experience light rain activity in isolated pockets, particularly in the suburban region. Experts pointed that rain activity may sweep the region post afternoon.Is rain activity common in March?Story continues below this adWhile the city is prone to witnessing pre monsoon showers starting April, rain activity in March is unusual for the coastal city. Weather observers have said that rain activity typically eludes the city in March owing to less intense sea breeze during the season.Historical records of the IMD show that even at its wettest, the city received mere 17 mm rainfall in the month of March in 2023 after the city received 16 mm rainfall in a single day on March 21, 2023.While the city recorded its wettest March in 2023, the Santacruz station received 0 mm rainfall during the month in 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017. Data from IMD shows that in 2016, the city had received marginal rainfall of 10 mm during the month.“The city may sometimes experience some showers owing to popping systems but it is unusual for March,” an IMD official told The Indian Express.How much relief can the city expect from heat?Story continues below this adFor the city which reeled under three heatwave events since March 5, the showers are slated to bring much sought respite. Currently, the city is already experiencing below normal temperatures with maximum temperatures over the past couple of days hovering around 31 degrees. On Thursday, maximum temperatures dipped nearly three degrees below the normal with the Santacruz observatory logging 30.7 degrees on the mercury scales.Day time temperatures, according to the IMD, are expected to oscillate between 31 to 32 degrees until March 20 while the night time temperatures are expected to dip to nearly 22 degrees.Scientists from IMD said that withdrawal of rain inducing systems may also lead to influx of North westerly winds in what is likely to drive temperatures below normal.