MumbaiFor the second time in the current month, Mumbai recorded the highest maximum temperature in the country at 39.4 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said, attributing absent or delayed sea breeze to the rise in mercury. IMD had warned of heat wave on Sunday and Monday. The Santa Cruz observatory and the Colaba observatory recorded temperatures of 39.4 degrees Celsius and 35.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, on Sunday.
“This is the second time this month that Mumbai has recorded the highest maximum temperature in the country. On March 6, Santacruz (Observatory) recorded 39.1 degrees Celsius, the highest in the country. On Sunday, it was 39.4 degrees. Celsius,” said IMD scientist Rajendra Jenamani.
He said the temperature in the coastal Konkan region, which includes Mumbai, was recorded 4-6 degrees Celsius above normal on March 12. It was also observed between March 5-7 when the temperature was 5-7 degrees above normal, Janamani said.
“Generally, sea breeze lowers temperature over Konkan during this period between 11.30 am to 1 pm. However, sea breeze is absent or delayed in the last seven-ten days as easterly winds prevail, Resulting in higher temperatures,” he said, adding that the temperature should reach the highest between Rajasthan and Gujarat, but it is moderate due to thunderclouds and favorable wind.