Heat wave expected to continue in Mumbai this week

A day after the city recorded one of its hottest March days in history; there was a marginal decline in maximum temperature on Monday. However, the weather bureau, which had issued a heat wave warning for Tuesday, removed it later with a revised prediction of 38 degrees Celsius. For Wednesday, temperatures are expected to further fall to 37 degrees Celsius.

A release issued by the weather department on Monday evening said, “Heat wave conditions were observed in Mumbai and surrounding areas on Monday. Maximum temperatures are likely to drop from Monday morning onwards, but continue above normal levels in the coming days.”

The Santacruz weather station, representative of Mumbai and the suburbs, recorded 38.7 degrees Celsius, 5.9 degree Celsius above normal, on Monday, and Colaba recorded 36.5 degrees Celsius, 5.2 degrees Celsius above normal. The night temperature in the suburbs was close to the normal mark, but almost 2 degrees Celsius above normal in south Mumbai.

On Sunday, the city had recorded 41 degrees Celsius, 8.2 degree Celsius above normal, which was the highest March day temperature in seven years and the second highest in a decade. Colaba had recorded 38 degrees Celsius, 6.7 degree Celsius above normal.

Independent meteorological advisor to the Maharashtra government Akshay Deoras said IMD should have issued the heat wave warning on Saturday for Sunday and Monday but failed to do so. “After temperatures have marginally fallen, the department is issuing heat wave warnings, which confuses citizens even more. However, in any circumstance, citizens are advised to avoid dehydration, keep water bottles and umbrellas handy,” he said.

Meanwhile, the rise in temperatures did not allow pollutants to settle close to the earth’s surface as Mumbai recorded the air quality index (AQI) at 199, falling under the ‘moderate’ category, after two days of ‘poor’ air quality. An AQI level of 192 (moderate) has been predicted for Tuesday.