Mumbai records spike in maximum temperature, hot days ahead

The maximum temperature at Mumbai’s Santacruz on Sunday, March 24, was 36.7 degrees Celsius, 4 degrees Celsius above normal while Colaba recorded 33.5 degrees Celsius, 2 degree Celsius above normal.

Mumbai recorded a spike in day temperature leading to hot weather on Sunday. The city saw a 2.6°C spike in maximum temperatures in just a day, with the weather department forecasting warmer days this week.

The weather bureau said Mumbai’s hot weather is expected to continue for the next three days. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The maximum temperature at Santacruz was 36.7 degrees Celsius, 4 degrees Celsius above normal while Colaba recorded 33.5 degrees Celsius, 2 degree Celsius above normal. This is the highest temperature so far this year and this season. However, highest maximum temperatures have been recorded ranging between 38 and 40 degrees Celsius during this time of the year.

The weather bureau said hot weather is expected to continue for the next three days. “We had issued a forecast that the day temperature would rise from March 24 onwards. The rise can be attributed to seasonal change with summer slowly setting in. During this time, the westerly winds are delayed or the sea breeze sets in late allowing more heat to accumulate through the day. This phenomenon will be repeated over the next three days,” said Sunil Kamble, scientist, India Meteorological Department.

Last year on March 26, Mumbai had recorded 41 degrees Celsius. The highest for the decade was recorded in 2011 at 41.3 degrees Celsius, and the all time high March day temperature was recorded on March 28, 1956 at 41.7 degrees Celsius.

Night temperatures witnessed a marginal rise. Santacruz recorded 21.4 degrees Celsius, 0.7 degrees Celsius below normal, Colaba recorded 24 degrees Celsius, almost a degree Celsius above normal.

Meanwhile, after four days of ‘moderate’ air, the air quality index (AQI) on Sunday was 254 (poor). It is expected to be 243 (poor) on Monday. Navi Mumbai recorded ‘severe’ AQI levels of 440 on Sunday, and easy the most polluted location. BKC, Andheri, Borivli and Malad all recorded ‘very poor’ AQI, Chembur had the cleanest air in the city.

Researchers from the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research said the rise in temperature and moisture had allowed pollutant carrying capacity in the air to increase and low wind speed was not allowing pollutants to disperse.

A clear sky is expected on Monday with day and night temperatures predicted to be 36 and 22 degrees Celsius.