Sultry Sunday ends with drizzle in parts of Mumbai

MUMBAI: A muggy Sunday ended on a slightly cooler note as light showers were reported in parts of the city. Locals from Fort, Dadar, Parel, Sion, Ghatkopar, Khar, Vile Parle, Santacruz, Andheri as well as Kalyan-Dombivli, Ulhasnagar and Navi Mumbai said it was drizzling in their areas.
The day saw Mumbaikars sweat it out as maximum temperature as well as humidity levels stayed on the higher side of the scale. The sky turned overcast only towards evening .
Residents said it was difficult to move out of homes during day time. On Sunday, the maximum temperature recorded by the IMD Colaba observatory was 34.8 C, 1.1 degrees above normal. In case of IMD Santa Cruz, it was 36.6 C, which was three degrees above normal. At 36.6 C, the maximum temperature recorded was the highest for June since 2016.
Meanwhile, the humidity levels recorded by IMD Colaba and Santa Cruz observatories were 82% and 66%.
Ghatkopar resident Pritesh Shah said, "I have been carrying a water bottle as the heat has been unbearable. The rains are much awaited." Parts of Maharashtra like Pune and Jalna did receive pre-monsoon showers on Sunday.
"With the likely formation of a cyclonic storm in the Arabian sea after three days, heavy rainfall warnings on the west coast with advisories for fishermen are in place," said a weather official.
The south-west monsoon officially arrived in Kerala on June 8, almost a week late. The official date for arrival of monsoon over Mumbai is June 10, but weather officials said it was unlikely to reach the city by then.