At 38.2°C, Mumbai records second heat wave in less than a week; hottest October in a decade

The winter months are likely to be warm, with potential implications for the summer of 2027, as per global climate forecasts.

Mumbai experienced its second heat wave in less than a week on Monday, with the maximum temperature in the suburbs soaring to 38.2°C, 5.1 degrees above normal.

Monday’s maximum temperature was the second-highest recorded in October, after the all-time high of 38.6°C recorded on October 17, 2015. The Colaba observatory registered a maximum temperature of 36.5°C, which was 3.9 degrees above normal. (Representative Image/Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO)

The city had recorded a heat wave earlier on October 9, when the maximum temperature touched 37.8°C, 4.7 degrees above normal. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a heat wave is declared if the temperature deviates more than 4.5°C from normal.

Monday’s maximum temperature was the second-highest recorded in October, after the all-time high of 38.6°C recorded on October 17, 2015. The Colaba observatory registered a maximum temperature of 36.5°C, which was 3.9 degrees above normal.

Mumbai records second heat wave in less than a week

“October heat in Mumbai is infamous. However, a deviation of 5.1 degrees from the normal is high. It’s worrisome because in the morning around 9am when people go for work, the temperature was 32-33 degrees, and it didn’t dissipate even at 7pm,” said KS Hosalikar, former head of IMD Mumbai. Hosalikar said it was too early to establish a link between the current temperatures and the emergence of a Super El Niño. However, he warned that the winter months were likely to be warm, with potential implications for the summer of 2027, as per global climate forecasts.

IMD issues yellow warning for hot, humid conditions

Head of Regional Meteorological Centre, IMD Mumbai, Bikram Singh said temperatures were expected to ease as wind patterns changed and the anticyclone over areas adjoining Gujarat and Maharashtra weakened . “It is not exactly unusual for temperatures to vary beyond 4.5°C. There have been instances where temperatures in Colaba have been registered at 39°C,” he added.

The IMD has issued a yellow warning for Tuesday, indicating hot and humid conditions in isolated pockets.