Mumbai Temperature Shoots To Forty Degrees: Second Round Of Heat Wave
Representational Image: AI-Skymet
Key Takeaways:
- Mumbai has been witnessing unusually hot weather with temperatures 7°–8°C above normal.
- Santacruz recorded temperatures above 38°C on four days this month, touching 40°C for the first time this season.
- The city has already experienced two heat wave spells in early March.
- Temperatures may briefly dip near 35°C but are likely to rise again to heat wave levels around March 13–14.
The coastal city of Mumbai is witnessing unusually hot days, with day temperatures running 7°-8° above normal. The average temperature for March is around 33°C, and the capital city has been breaching that mark continuously for the last seven days. Santacruz has recorded temperatures in excess of 38°C on four days this month so far. The onslaught of rising mercury will get arrested today, but it will get back again very soon.
The coastal stations have a threshold of 37°C for the onset of heat wave, subject to a departure of 4.5°C or more from the normal. The city of Mumbai is getting repeatedly trapped under these arduous conditions. The first spell of heat wave for the capital city was witnessed on 04th and 05th March, when the temperature reached 38.9°C. On 09th March, the airport observatory crossed 38°C yet again. Yesterday, the mercury reached the 40°C mark for the first time this season. This was the second round of heat wave for the city and suburbs.
The financial capital Mumbai has crossed 40°C earlier as well on a few occasions. However, such outliers are invariably witnessed during the last week of the month. In the last 15 years, the capital city crossed this mark on four occasions, and all of these were on or after 26th March. The highest temperature of the last fifteen years was 41°C recorded on 26th March 2018. The other three years were 2015 (26 Mar), 2019 (26 Mar), and 2021 (28 Mar). The temperature is expected to rise further in the coming days, with a repeat of 40°C or more, particularly in the second half of the month.
The day temperature of Mumbai is dictated by the timing of the onset of sea breeze. Around these days, if the breeze does not set in by 12 p.m. or so, the mercury has a tendency to rise above 38°C. The more it gets delayed, the higher the spike expected on those days. Today, the temperature is likely to get arrested around the 35°C mark. On 13th and 14th March, the temperature is likely to rise again and reach the heat wave mark.
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