Mercury crosses 37°C; IMD warns of warmer than usual summer in Mumbai

The city witnessed its warmest day of the season so far on Wednesday

The city witnessed its warmest day of the season so far on Wednesday. The Santacruz weather station of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded a maximum temperature of 37.3 degrees Celsius, up from 35.3 degrees Celsius a day prior. Wednesday’s reading was 4.4 degrees Celsius above normal.

(Pratik Chorge/HT PHOTO)

Officials attributed the spike in Mercury, to dry, warm winds blowing at a low altitude over the city at around 900 metres above mean sea level, coming from an anticyclonic circulation over central India.

Officials also cautioned that the upcoming summer season is likelier to be warmer than usual. “The entire Konkan coastal region is likely to see a warmer summer this year. Days will be about a quarter of a degree warmer while nights will be about half a degree warmer,” said Dr Shubhagi Bhute, a scientist at IMD.

The minimum temperature at Santacruz was recorded at 20.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, which was at normal, and only slightly slower than the previous day’s reading of 20.6 degrees Celsius.

Colaba, on the other hand, the maximum temperature was recorded at 34.5 degrees Celsius (up from 32.5 degrees a day prior), but the minimum temperature was recorded at 22.3 degrees Celsius (same as the day prior).

As per the IMD’s seven-day forecast for Santacruz, there may be some relief from the heat on Thursday. The maximum temperature is expected to drop and remain at 35 degrees Celsius for the next week, while the minimum reading is also predicted to remain at 21 degrees Celsius. Mainly clear skies will prevail.

Meanwhile, according to the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research, air quality on Wednesday returned to the poor category with the air quality index (AQI) of 208.