At 36.1°C, Monday city’s hottest day in May in decade

MUMBAI: On Monday, the city recorded its highest daytime temperature in May at 36.1 degrees Celsius, matching that in May 2016. Monday’s reading was 3 degrees Celsius above normal, and marks the highest daytime maximum recorded in May in 10 years, as per data with the India Meteorological Department (IMD). On May 31, 2016, the mercury had climbed to 36.1 degrees Celsius as well, as per the weather station in Santacruz.

After a relatively cooler April which saw a near normal average daytime temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius, days have been growing hotter in May, in line with IMD forecasts. Since April 30, both minimum and maximum temperatures have shown an upward departure from normal, showed IMD data.

However, Monday’s temperature isn’t the hottest that Mumbai has been this pre-monsoon season, which runs from March to May every year. On March 27, the city sizzled at 40.7 degrees Celsius, the highest of the season. “As we have already conveyed in our long-term forecast, it is going to be a hotter than normal summer season in Mumbai this year. April was cooler due to the formation of rain bearing weather systems over Central India. But as we go further into the summer season, their cooling impact on the Konkan coast will diminish,” said a spokesperson with IMD’S regional centre in the city.

As per IMD’S seven-day forecast for the city, there will not be any respite from heat in coming days, with maximum daytime temperature expected to hover between 35 and 36 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature, which was 26.5 degrees on Monday, is also set to rise slightly and remain at around 27 degrees Celsius in the next week.

Meanwhile, rain, thunderstorms and hail continued to lash parts of Maharashtra. IMD has issued a severe weather warning for parts of central Maharashtra and Vidarbha.