Watch out, it’s getting very hot!

People at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park Art Festival at Vanita Samaj. Citizens have been asked to avoid the heat. File pic

The India Meteorological Department's Regional Meteorological Centre, Mumbai, has issued a heatwave warning for Konkan and other parts of Maharashtra for the next 48 hours. The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 37 to 38 degrees Celsius over many parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa coasts on Tuesday and Wednesday, the IMD has predicted.

The city saw its hottest day of the year/season on Saturday, with a maximum daytime temperature that was 37.9 degrees Celsius. Though the maximum temperature on Sunday and Monday has dropped significantly, IMD officials and weather enthusiasts have advised citizens to drink plenty of water and avoid going outside during peak afternoon hours.

A boy tries to get relief from the scorching heat at the Gateway of India, Colaba. File Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Cautioning citizens, the head of IMD Pune, K S Hosalikar tweeted on Monday, "Heatwave alerts by IMD's RMC Mumbai for parts of Maharashtra and Konkan area for 48 hours. Though Yellow Alerts (watch out), still take care, please. Avoid going outside between 11 am -2 pm if possible. A water bottle is necessary."

Also Read: Mumbai weather update: With temperatures above 37 degrees C, IMD issues heatwave alert for next two days

Unusual rise in temperatures

The rising trend of temperatures in the month of February is unusual. Many parts of the country are witnessing significantly above-average day and night temperatures. Elaborating on the phenomenon, experts from Skymet Weather, a private weather forecasting agency, explained on their blog, "Parts of the Western Himalayas, East Rajasthan, Saurashtra and Kutch, Konkan and Goa, and at one or two places over Uttarakhand and Gujarat region are significantly above average. The two weather factors can be demarcated for this unusual rise in temperatures. One of which can be successive Western disturbances approaching the Western Himalayas but incapable of giving any significant rain or snow. Another fresh Western Disturbance may come to the hills of the Western Himalayas around February 26. Moreover, the gap between these Western disturbances is significantly less. Therefore, the cold winds from the north are not set up which would have arrested the rise in temperatures."

Their statement further reads, "The second one is an anti-cyclone which was over the set Northeast Arabian Sea. Now it has moved over southwest Rajasthan. Due to this anti-cyclone, hot and dry winds from Baluchistan, South Sind and Thar Desert are reaching northwest India as well as over Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. The absence of significant weather activity, bright sunshine, and dry and hot winds are responsible for this unusual temperature spike."

On Sunday the maximum temperature recorded by IMD's Santacruz observatory was 36.5 degrees Celsius which was six degrees above normal. In comparison, the Colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 34.2 degrees Celsius, four degrees Celsius above normal. The maximum temperature recorded at the Santacruz observatory on Monday was 33.1 degrees Celsius, while the Colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 31.8 degrees Celsius.

Will get better

While IMD's forecast for the next 48 hours predicted that heat wave conditions were likely to prevail at isolated places, Vagaries of the Weather, a popular private weather forecasting blog, has hinted that the last week of February will be more bearable.

"The rising temperature of Mumbai to date is 37 to 38 degrees Celsius, six degrees Celsius above normal. As the East winds relent, Mumbai will see the day temperatures in "sane" regions next week. The last week of this month will be more bearable, I feel. Daytime or maximum temperature will drop to around 34- 35 degrees Celsius next week, bringing relief from the sharp scorching sun. Night time will be pleasant with minimum temperature hovering around 19 to 20 degrees Celsius," said Rajesh Kapadia, a climatologist from Vagaries of the Weather.

Tweet talk

K S Hosaliker @Hosaliker_KS: ‘Heatwave alerts by IMD's RMC Mumbai for parts of Maharashtra and Konkan area for 48 hours. Though Yellow Alerts (watch out), still take care, please. Avoid going outside between 11 am -2 pm if possible. A water bottle is necessary'

37°C -38°C
What the temperature is likely to be