The city recorded the season’s hottest day on Thursday at 38.4 degrees Celsius.

The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory, which represents Mumbai, recorded the maximum temperature at 38.4 degrees Celsius, which is 6 degrees above normal whereas Colaba saw the maximum temperature at 35.4 degrees, which is 4.5 degrees above normal.

Experts, in the third week of February, had warned of a rise in temperatures, signalling the end of winter and beginning of summer.

Thursday’s temperature in Mumbai is also the third highest of the decade. The all-time record for the highest maximum temperature in February was on February 25, 1966, at 39.6 degrees.

The minimum temperature in the city on Thursday stayed at 20.4 degrees, one degree above normal.

Maximum temperatures over other coastal stations have also risen leading to heat wave conditions in isolated pockets of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts.

According to IMD, maximum temperatures are expected to gradually drop, and existing heat wave conditions are likely to abate from Friday. As per the 24-hour forecast for Mumbai, the maximum temperature will hover around 36-37 degrees Celsius.

“Due to the prevailing strong easterly winds from the land region, low humidity values, and delayed setting of sea breeze, the temperatures were expected to rise,” a statement from IMD said.

In Mumbai, Borivali (East) was the hottest at 38.69 degrees, followed by Ghatkopar at 38.4 degrees, and Bandra (West) at 37.43 degrees Celsius.