Monsoon watchers have for long been puzzled on what could be the reason for increased extreme floods that take place in India from Mumbai to all the way to Guwahati in the northeast — since the monsoon is actually weakening due to climate change.

But some Indian scientists may have found an answer. A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, point the finger at the westerly winds coming from the Arabian Sea as being heavily moisture-laden, which leads to extreme floods.

Till now, it was believed that the monsoon mostly gathers its moisture from the Bay of Bengal.

The scientists told NDTV that such extreme weather events could be predicted two-three weeks in advance, and many lives could be saved. Almost a week before heavy rain battered Mumbai on August 29, the same scientists had predicted heavy flooding in the city.