Mumbai on Tuesday, February 25, recorded its hottest day of the month in eight years, with the Santacruz weather station reporting a maximum temperature of 38.7 degrees Celsius. This was 5.9 degrees above the normal range for this time of year.
The heat persisted on Wednesday, February 26, with the Santacruz observatory logging 38.5 degrees Celsius, marking Mumbai’s second-highest February temperature. It was 5.7 degrees Celsius above average. As it was a public holiday, the IMD had advised residents to stay indoors and remain hydrated to avoid heat-related health risks.
Both were just shy of the 38.8 degrees Celsius recorded on February 19, 2017.
On Thursday, February 27, IMD witnessed a slight drop in minimum temperature with 21.3 and 23.8 degrees Celsius.
Over the weekend, temperatures might decrease by one or two degrees Celsius. However, the humidity is expected to remain. The IMD noted that strong easterly winds continue to delay the onset of the sea breeze by several hours, keeping temperatures higher than usual.
On Monday, February 24, the city recorded a high of 38.4 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, and Palghar, warning of heatwave conditions.
It should be noted that heatwaves in late February are not unusual. Strong easterly winds are preventing the sea breeze from cooling the city. The sea breeze, which usually moderates temperatures in coastal areas, is arriving late. It now reaches the city around 10 am to 11 am, by which time the temperature has already risen significantly.
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