Heatwave warning as Mumbai (38. 8°C) sees 3rd hottest April day in 10 years

MUMBAI: Citizens were left panting as the temperature touched 38. 8°C at Santacruz Wednesday, making it the third hottest April day in a decade. It was five degrees above normal.
The IMD issued a heatwave warning for Mumbai and Thane for Wednesday as the temperature crossed 37 for the second consecutive day.

The Thane-Belapur station in Navi Mumbai, where 14 persons died of heat during a government function in an open ground Sunday, saw the mercury touch 42°C. Colaba recorded a maximum temperature of 34.6°C, two degrees above normal.
In the last 10 years, the highest April temperature of 39°C was recorded on April 22 in 2014, and last year, it was 38.9°C on the same date. The season's highest temperature so far has been 39.4°C on March 12.
Temperature may dip today, says IMD; some schools start vacation early, tweak hours
The discomfort is especially high as night temperatures are keeping up with that of day: Colaba recorded a minimum of 26.6°C and Santacruz 25.6°C. Both are one degree above normal.
Weather officials held out promise of immediate relief, saying the maximum temperatures are expected to ease by Thursday. "The winds have been easterly and the sea breeze is setting in late in the day, leading to the rise in day temperatures. However, there is an anticyclone around Mumbai that we are expecting would disassociate leading to a slight decrease in day temperatures. We are monitoring the situation closely," said Sushma Nair, scientist at IMD Mumbai.
The heat was enough for a school to close for summer vacations earlier than it would. A parent said a CBSE school in Kalyan sent an SMS on Wednesday informing that as a precautionary measure, the school would close for vacation on April 20 and reopen on June 15. Some schools that have started the new academic year for class X students have reduced timings by an hour for the summer. "Class X students come at 7am and leave at 12pm, as against the normal timing of 1 pm," said the principal of a Kandivli school.
A state education official said schools have been advised to conduct all forms of classes in the morning hours to escape the heat.
In the zilla parishad school in Wada taluka of Palghar district, students are attending classes from 7.30am to 11am. The school timings change from March every year. "Last month classes were till 12.30pm. This month it has been reduced by 90 minutes. Students will go on vacation from May 2," said a teacher. Palghar district has been experiencing day temperatures ranging from 35 to 37°C.