Temperature reaches season’s highest on Wednesday

Mercury levels touched 38.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday evening, almost 5.4 degree Celsius above normal-the highest recorded maximum temperatures this month so far. But Thursday saw a significant drop in maximum temperatures-33.5 degrees Celsius in Santacruz, which was 0.5 degrees above normal, and 31.6 degrees Celsius in Colaba, which was 0.3 degrees above normal.

Weathermen said winds coming from the land caused the temperatures to rise. “The maximum temperatures were high on account of the easterly winds. These winds come from the land leading to this spike,” explained V K Rajeev from India Meteorology Department (IMD) Mumbai.

On Thursday, the humidity levels recorded at the Colaba observatory was 78% and at the Santacruz observatory was 60%.

Marine Drive resident Mahendra Hemdev said, “During the afternoons, it is very uncomfortable. I wonder how much the temperatures would rise in the coming months. Moreover, there is a water shortage in the city.”

The IMD has forecast maximum temperatures to remain around 35 degrees Celsius in the next 24 hours.

Last year, the highest recorded maximum temperature in March was 40.8 degrees Celsius. The all-time highest maximum temperature has been 41.7 degrees Celsius recorded in March 1956.