Mumbai: It's only going to get hot, hotter, hottest, says IMD

People at Shivaji Park shielding themselves from the blazing sun. File Pic/Ashish Raje

After rain, gusty wind, dust storms and rising mercury levels, Mumbai can only expect the weather to get worse by the day. As per the Indian Meteorological department's (IMD) data, the city, since March 2, has recorded maximum temperatures above 35 degrees. Maximum temperatures were expected to rise on Wednesday by 2-3 degrees Celsius along the coast of Maharashtra and by 4-6 degrees Celsius in interior Maharashtra.

The coastal subdivision of Konkan-Goa is likely to experience a heat wave in the following two days. In light of this, the regional meteorological centre (RMC) for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts issued a yellow watch on Thursday (March 9) and Friday (March 10), advising citizens to ‘beware' of the weather.

Also Read: At 38.1 degree C, Sunday was Mumbai's hottest day of 2023 yet

K S Hosalikar, head, IMD, Pune said, "Heat wave conditions are likely to occur at isolated places over Konkan and Goa from March 9 to March 10. Both Goa and Konkan regions will witness a rise in temperature by 2-3 degrees Celsius over Konkan and Goa during this time. Parts of Central India and Interior Maharashtra will witness a rise in temperature by 4-6 degrees Celsius." "It has been a tough first week of March for Mumbai. The dust factor is high with the highest AQI touching 325 value. Above normal heat at 38 to 39 degrees Celsius, unusual for Mumbai with 35-40per cent relative humidity (RH) and thunder with light showers and the (most unusual) occasional hail. All these factors together deteriorated the city's weather," said Rajesh Kapadia of Vagaries of Weather, a popular private weather blog.

While the temperature levels plummeted by 3 to 4 degrees owing to unseasonal rain and thundershowers in the last two days, meteorologists have predicted that the temperature could touch over 37-38 degrees Celsius yet again by the weekend. Kapadia added, "We expect Mumbai to heat up to 38 degrees again by Saturday/Sunday, but no rain. Hot weather with a dusty atmosphere, AQI could be around 300. The blowing easterlies will keep the air dusty, aided by local conditions. This will lead to warm, stuffy weather at night. Interior Maharashtra including most of Konkan is likely to heat up to 40 degrees Celsius."

Max temp last week
>> March 2: 35.5°C
>> March 3: 35.5°C
>> March 4: 37.0°C
>> March 5: 38.1°C
>> March 6: 39.3°C
>> March 7: 35.8°C
>> March 8: 35.9°C
(Recorded at Santacruz observatory. Data from IMD and Vagaries of Weather)