Colaba sees hottest October day in 13 years

IMD attributed the spike to delayed sea breeze during monsoon withdrawal, with an anti-cyclone near Mumbai also contributing to the rise in temperatures.

The city experienced an early spell of October heat on Friday, with Colaba recording a maximum temperature of 37.4°C — 5.6°C above normal and the highest October temperature recorded in south Mumbai since at least 2013. High humidity added to the discomfort across the city. The all-time highest maximum temperature recorded at the weather station in October is 39.5°C, recorded on October 22, 1968.

Sushma Nair, senior scientist, Regional Meteorological Centre, IMD Mumbai, attributed the spike in temperature to changes related with monsoon withdrawal. (Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times)

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), south Mumbai was warmer than the suburbs. The early morning temperatures were also higher than normal. Colaba recorded a minimum temperature of 27.5°C at 5.30am on Friday, 2.2°C above normal.

The Santacruz observatory, which is the baseline weather station for Mumbai, logged a maximum temperature of 36.9°C, which was 4.6°C above normal.

The spike in October heat came unusually early in the month. A similar early rise was recorded on October 8, 2024, when the maximum temperature reached 36.5°C. The suburbs saw relatively normal overnight temperatures, with Santacruz recording a minimum of 25.7°C.

Sushma Nair, senior scientist, Regional Meteorological Centre, IMD Mumbai, attributed the spike in temperature to changes related with monsoon withdrawal.

“Monsoon should withdraw from Mumbai in a day or two. This is a period of transition, when wind patterns change from westerlies to easterlies and blocks the setting of sea breeze and delaying its onset over the city. There was also an anti-cyclone near Mumbai that contributed to the high temperature,” said Nair, adding that daytime temperature will hover between 35-37 degrees Celsius for two to three days.