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Bombay, known for its iconic monsoons, has just witnessed a historic and unsettling weather event — the monsoon rains arrived in May, the earliest in 35 years. Normally expected around mid-June, this year’s premature downpour is not just a meteorological anomaly but a stark reminder of the growing threat of climate change.“It’s raining cats and dogs,” say residents as waterlogged streets, delayed trains, and swaying trees once again define the city’s landscape. But unlike previous years, this early onset brings with it concern rather than comfort. The early rains are disrupting not just daily life but entire ecological and agricultural cycles. Farmers, who time their sowing activities based on traditional rainfall patterns, are left confused. Urban planners, who expect monsoons later, are caught unprepared for the flooding and infrastructural strain.What’s even more troubling is the broader implication: this isn’t a one-off. Over the past decade, India has witnessed a rise in extreme and erratic weather patterns — from unseasonal rains and heatwaves to cyclones and droughts. Climate scientists have long warned about the consequences of global warming, and events like this are exactly what models have predicted. Rising sea surface temperatures in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean are fueling more moisture-laden clouds, leading to such premature and intense rainfall events.For a city like Bombay, already grappling with rising sea levels and urban congestion, climate change is not a distant threat — it's already here. Flooding in low-lying areas, power outages, and traffic snarls are just the visible consequences. The invisible ones — like shifting rainfall patterns, declining air quality, and public health risks — are equally serious.What can be done? Awareness is the first step, but action must follow. City infrastructure must be urgently re-evaluated to handle extreme weather. Green cover needs to be preserved and expanded. Nationally, India must accelerate its transition to clean energy and sustainable urban planning. And globally, stronger climate commitments are non-negotiable.As Bombay soaks in its May monsoon, let it also soak in the truth — climate change is real, it is accelerating, and we must act now. Today it’s early rain; tomorrow, it could be something far worse.

Zaid Ajani

It's raining Cats And Dogs in Bombay, but the earliest in 35 years.