Mumbai: Hot-and-humid is the season for now

People take shelter under an umbrella on a hot day, at Marine Drive. File Pic/Ashish Raje

Hot days and humidity have forced Mumbaikars to wonder if it is the winter season or the summer. Mumbai, for the past couple of days, has been registering the highest temperature in the country, and the meteorologists have warned that the summer-like feeling will continue for three to four days more.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 35.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday. Mumbai became the third hottest place in the country on Sunday, according to weather information site - ogimet.com. The Colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 33.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday.

Ratnagiri was among the hottest places in the country on Sunday, with 35.6 degrees Celsius, as per ogimet.com. On Saturday, Mumbai was the hottest place of the day not only in India, but in the sub-continent, with a temperature of 35.9 degrees Celsius, as recorded by the Santacruz observatory.

Also read: Mumbai: Experts fear complicated Covid-19 cases in winter

Why the summer sting?

Explaining the phenomenon, Rajesh Kapadia of Vagaries of the Weather, a popular private weather blog, said, "Mumbai and parts of northern Maharashtra get north winds through the western disturbances, which occur in north India and bring rain and snowfall in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. This system is absent this year, leading to the north winds being replaced by warm easterly winds.

Moreover, there is no sea breeze or a delay in setting in the sea breeze, because of which easterly wind is causing warmer temperatures. The wind direction won't change for at least the next three to four days. The prevailing system will lead to warmer temperatures in Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra." Even on December 14, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 34.9 degrees Celsius, which was the highest in India.

Meteorologists from Skymet Weather, a private weather forecasting agency, stated in their blog: "During October and November, the city sees a maximum temperature of above 35 degrees Celsius on several occasions. However, during December and January, maximum temperatures do not regularly exceed 35 degrees Celsius."

Skymet meteorologists further noted: "On some occasions, it does cross 35 degrees Celsius, but it is not an everyday affair. In 2021, the city saw a maximum of 35 degrees Celsius on December 12. In 2020, the city recorded maximums of around 35 degrees Celsius just once in December. While it is not very unusual for Mumbai to see a maximum of around 35 degrees Celsius, what is uncommon is a coastal station having pan-India's highest."

Many parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra are witnessing above-normal temperatures for the past few days. Both day and night temperatures in many districts of Maharashtra, including Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Marathwada, are significantly above normal. Warm winters are not beneficial for Rabi crops. Temperatures must dip for healthy crops, meteorologists have warned.

All-time highs

All-time record for Mumbai-Santacruz in December: December 4, 1987 - 39.8 degree Celsius
All-time record in the last decade for Mumbai-Santacruz in December: December 31, 2015 - 37.3 degree Celsius
Source: Vagaries of the Weather

32.5°c
Temperature Santacruz observatory recorded on Sunday