Mumbai records post-monsoon season’s first heatwave as temperature rises to 37.8 degree Celsius

A man on a motorcycle is seen trying to shield himself from the scorching heat. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Mumbai experienced the post-monsoon season's first heatwave on Friday, with the India Meteorological Department's Santacruz observatory recording a max temperature of 37.8 degrees C, a departure of 4.7 degrees. The minimum temperature dropped to 25.8 degrees and the relative humidity stood at 47 per cent at 5.30 pm.

On October 3, the IMD had announced the withdrawal of the monsoon from Mumbai. On Thursday, it announced complete monsoon withdrawal from all remaining parts of Maharashtra and issued a heatwave alert for Mumbai. Thursday's maximum temperature of 37.6 degrees was the highest such reading for October in the past eight years, and Friday's figure surpassed it. The mercury rose above this mark in October only twice in the past 15 years - in 2018 (38 degrees) and 2015 (38.6 degrees).

Pedestrians cool off with fresh fruit near the Gateway of India. Pic/Ashish Raje

For Saturday, the IMD has forecasted a ‘very likely hot and humid' day for Mumbai with temperatures expected in the range of 26 degrees and 36 degrees.

Yellow alert

A yellow alert has been issued for Greater Mumbai and Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Ratnagiri for October 10. Saturday's alert marks the third yellow warning for Mumbai in connection with post-monsoon soaring temperatures.

People watch cricket from the shade of a tree at Azad Maidan on Friday afternoon. Pic/Ashish Raje; (right) An inter-school competition coach donning an umbrella hat gestures to the players at Azad Maidan. Pic/Ashish Raje

Explaining the cause behind the soaring temperatures, IMD RMC Mumbai chief Bikram Singh said on Friday, "Anticyclone in Gujarat and adjoining North Maharashtra region has led to the warming." A day prior, Singh had explained that Mumbaikars would have some relief and the lower humidity in the air wouldn't make the heatwave feel as bad.

A traffic police officer goes about his duty while protecting himself as best he can in Dadar. Pic/Atul Kamble

Rajesh Kapadia, climatologist and founder of Vagaries of the Weather, expects that the city should be relieved of the soaring temperatures next week. "This weekend will be warmer, but sea breeze should return to the city as the anticyclone effect decreases by next week, ultimately lowering the warming," said Kapadia.

A fan provides some relief to a woman at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. Pic/Ashish Raje

[popcorn number="37.6 degrees" desc="Maximum temperature recorded in city on Thursday" class="Default"]

Air quality

Mumbai's PM10 AQI level, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board, stood at 99 (satisfactory) on Friday; this was an improvement from Thursday's 120 (moderate). Prior to Thursday, the AQI slipped into the ‘moderate' category (110) only once this month - on October 2. The remaining days saw satisfactory AQI.