Mumbai feels the heat as temperatures soar to 36.3° Celsius

The city recorded a hot Sunday as temperatures soared to 36

The city recorded a hot Sunday as temperatures soared to 36.3 degrees Celsius, at par with the season’s highest maximum temperature. The Santacruz station of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which is indicative of the city’s temperature, recorded a maximum temperature of 36.3 degrees Celsius, a good 5 degrees above normal. This was the same as recorded on February 2 when the city marked the highest maximum temperature of the winter season. The Colaba station recorded a maximum temperature of 34.6 degrees Celsius, 4.4 degrees above normal.

The rising temperature brought some respite to the air quality of the city as an overall air quality index (AQI) of 125 was recorded. (HT Photo)

Both stations recorded a steep rise in maximum temperatures from Saturday’s 34.7 degrees Celsius (Santacruz) and 33.3 degrees Celsius (Colaba).

“Because of the lower-level easterly winds and the delayed setting of the sea breeze over Mumbai, the maximum temperature rose in the city. The trend is likely to continue for the next couple of days,” said Shubhangi Bhute, scientist, IMD Mumbai.

Minimum temperatures also remained above normal. Santacruz recorded a minimum temperature of 21 degrees Celsius, which was 2.3 degrees above normal. At Colaba, the minimum temperature was 23 degrees Celsius, 3.5 degrees above normal.

The rising temperature brought some respite to the air quality of the city as an overall air quality index (AQI) of 125 was recorded.

The AQI is a pollution measuring indicator and is calculated by the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) as the average of indices recorded at 10 locations in the city and suburbs. SAFAR categorises AQI levels for PM2.5 in the 0-50 range as good; 51-100 as satisfactory; 101-200 as moderate; 201-300 as poor; 301-400 as very poor and above 400 as severe.

“Mumbai’s air quality of is in the moderate category and will improve due to oceanic influence and will remain in the lower end of the moderate category for the next two days,” stated a short-range forecast by SAFAR.