At 39.50 C, hottest day this month for city

On Saturday, hot and dry winds blew over suburban Mumbai, making it the hottest day so far this month.

On Saturday, hot and dry winds blew over suburban Mumbai, making it the hottest day so far this month.

HT Image

Malegaon recorded the highest maximum temperature across India, at 41.8 degree Celsius.

In Mumbai, the maximum temperature recorded in Santa-cruz was six degrees above normal, at 39.5 degree Celsius. At Colaba, the maximum temperature was 35.5 degrees Celsius, 4 degrees above normal.

While the minimum temperature at Colaba was 22.5 degree Celsius, it was 19.4 degree Celsius at Santacruz.

Temperatures are expected to remain high on Sunday.

Last year, on March 17, the maximum temperature was 41.3 degree C, the highest in 55 years.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), an easterly land breeze over Mumbai before 1.30 pm brought in dry and warm winds, leading to a marked rise in temperatures.

“As a result, the westerly sea breeze that normally sweeps over the city around 10 am set in very late, at 1.30 pm. Local heating and lack of moisture further raised the temperature,” said Bishwambhar Singh, director, western region, IMD.

Across India, heat wave conditions prevailed in parts of Saurashtra and Kutchh. “Summer has set in in Maha-rashtra,” Singh said.