City temperature at 41.6° C, highest in March in 55 years

Hot dry winds pushed Mumbai's maximum temperature to 41.6 degree Celsius, on Wednesday, the highest March temperature for the city in the last 55 years.

Hot dry winds pushed Mumbai's maximum temperature to 41.6 degree Celsius, on Wednesday, the highest March temperature for the city in the last 55 years.

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The maximum temperature at Colaba was 41.6 degree Celsius, while Santacruz was a little cooler at 41.3 degree Celsius. The last time Mumbai’s maximum temperature crossed 41 degree Celsius in March was on March 28, 1956, when it stood at 41.7 degree Celsius.

“Hot dry winds blowing towards Mumbai from the north easterly to easterly direction are responsible for the rise in heat. Also, sea breeze, which brings moisture from the Arabian Sea and arrests rise of maximum temperature, has not set in,” said RV Sharma, deputy director general, western region, Indian Meteorological Department. “The temperatures didn't cross this mark (41 degree Celsius) all through the summer in 2010.”

With weathermen predicting maximum temperatures at 41 degree Celsius for Thursday, seems like the heat is here to stay for a few more days.