IMD has predicted the temperature is slated to soar above 38 degrees from March 9 to March 10 in isolated pockets of Mumbai and neighbouring districts of Thane and Raigad.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday issued a heatwave warning in isolated pockets of Mumbai and its neighbouring districts of Thane and Raigad on March 9 and 10. This is the second time in the last two weeks that the IMD is issuing a heatwave alert in the city. After a brief respite, Mumbai is currently reeling under rising daytime temperatures, nudging the weather bureau to issue also a yellow warning of “hot and humid” conditions for the coastal city until Friday.
According to data from IMD, Colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 35.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday afternoon – which is over five degrees above the normal. In Colaba, the daytime temperatures spiked to 35.5 degrees. This came along the heels of the city logging a maximum temperature of 37.4 degrees on Wednesday. Nights remained relatively cooler as the minimum temperatures dipped over one degree below the normal in the suburban areas observing minimum temperature at 18.6 degrees on Thursday morning.
With the temperatures rising, the IMD has sounded a yellow warning for Mumbai on Thursday, indicating that hot and humid conditions are likely to prevail in isolated pockets of the city until Friday. The weather department has also announced a heatwave alert over the weekend with temperatures slated to soar above 38 degrees from March 9 (Sunday) to March 10 (Monday). Meteorologists attribute the heatwave-like conditions to an anticyclone system forming in the region.
Nitha Sasidharan, scientist from IMD Mumbai, told The Indian Express: “Currently, a system of anticyclone is gradually setting in the Maharashtra region. Due to this system, the city is expected to receive strong easterly winds from the interior parts of the country. Since these easterlies are strong, they will delay the westerly winds which is the sea breeze from setting in. This is expected to result in temperatures to spike over 4 – 5 degrees above the normal.” A heatwave warning is typically issued when a city witnesses a deviation of 4-5 degrees of temperature above normal for at least two consecutive days.
Last month, the IMD had also sounded a heatwave alert between on February 25 and 26 when the city recorded temperatures over 38 degrees for several days. During the period, the maximum temperature in Mumbai touched an eight-year high of 38.7 degrees. The current spell of hot weather is typical for March which is generally considered as the phase of transition from winters to summer seasons. Records show Mumbai’s highest temperature was registered at 41.7 degrees Celsius in 1956 while its coldest day ever was recorded in 2012 when the minimum temperatures dropped to 12.7 degree Celsius.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/imd-heatwave-warning-mumbai-march-9-10-9872476/