Brace for a scorcher of a summer, Mumbai

Women cover their faces with scarves, while

After days of recording an unusual chill, brace yourselves for the onslaught of summer. As meteorologists predict the departure of the cold spell and onset of warmer weather, the city is anticipated to experience an increase in both maximum and minimum temperatures.

As per Meteorologists, both Maharashtra and Gujarat will get drier and warmer by 3/4 degrees Celsius from the coming weekend.

As per the forecast issued by the Vagaries of Weather, a private weather blog, the maximum temperature in Mumbai will rise to 35/36 degrees Celsius, while the night time temperature will jump to around 21 degrees Celsius. Similarly, Pune will get warmer and reach 35/36 degrees Celsius and night time temperatures will be hovering around 16/17 degrees Celsius. Daytime or maximum temperature in Vidarbha region will reach 38/39 degrees Celsius.

A man shields his face with a file against the scorching sun at Churchgate. Pics/Satej Shinde

Speaking to mid-day, day Rajesh Kapadia of Vagaries of weather said summer is gradually setting in. "Officially, from March to May is the pre-monsoon summer for our region. The cooler winds change directions to South Westerly or South Easterly. The winds from the Bay of Bengal also penetrate into the East Coast as Sea Breeze.

Around April, winds from the East and the South West winds sort of "meet", in the Central Regions of the Peninsula. This is termed as the " confluence of winds". The confluence of these winds create the "Line of Discontinuity " in the Central Southern Peninsula. Resulting in thundershowers in the interior regions." Kapadia said.

On Friday, Mumbai's Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 34.6 degree, while the colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 32 degree celsius.

The Indian Meteorological Department's (IMD) long-range projections have already painted a grim picture, forecasting above-normal daytime temperatures across West-Central India throughout the summer season spanning from March to May.

"During the upcoming hot weather season (March to May (MAM)), above-normal maximum temperatures are most likely over most parts of the country, except over some isolated areas of Northwest, Northeast, Central and Peninsular India where normal to below normal maximum temperatures are most likely. Monthly maximum temperatures for March 2024 are most likely to be above normal over most areas of Peninsula, Northeast and West Central India and many areas of North west India. On the other hand, normal to below normal maximum temperatures are most likely over most parts of East and Eastcentral India and some parts of Northwest India," stated IMD's LRP.

3-4 deg
Avg temperature increase from today