Colaba recorded its hottest October day in 13 years on Friday. The India Meteorological Department said south Mumbai was warmer than the suburbs. Senior scientist Sushma Nair said, “This is a period of transition, when wind patterns change.” Daytime temperatures will likely stay between 35-37 degrees Celsius for three days.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), south Mumbai was warmer than the suburbs. The early morning temperatures were also higher than normal. Colaba recorded a minimum temperature of 27.5°C at 5.30am on Friday, 2.2°C above normal.
The Santacruz observatory, which is the baseline weather station for Mumbai, logged a maximum temperature of 36.9°C, which was 4.6°C above normal.
The spike in October heat came unusually early in the month. A similar early rise was recorded on October 8, 2024, when the maximum temperature reached 36.5°C. The suburbs saw relatively normal overnight temperatures, with Santacruz recording a minimum of 25.7°C.
Sushma Nair, senior scientist, Regional Meteorological Centre, IMD Mumbai, attributed the spike in temperature to changes related with monsoon withdrawal.
“Monsoon should withdraw from Mumbai in a day or two. This is a period of transition, when wind patterns change from westerlies to easterlies and blocks the setting of sea breeze and delaying its onset over the city. There was also an anti-cyclone near Mumbai that contributed to the high temperature,” said Nair, adding that daytime temperature will hover between 35-37 degrees Celsius for two to three days.