Mercury soars yet again

MUMBAI: After marking Saturday, November 3, as the hottest day by recording maximum temperature 37.6 degrees Celsius, Sunday witnessed no big difference as the city temperature was recorded at 37 degree Celsius. The previous record was of 37.4 degree Celsius in 1979 and 2003. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted the maximum temperature to remain the same as of Sunday on Monday as well, and a slight dip in temperature can be expected on Tuesday and Wednesday. IMD officials said the reason behind the heat wave with a 37.6 degree Celcius was a delay in the sea breeze setting. Official added the temperature had crossed 35 degree Celsius on Sunday by 11am itself. “It is comparatively cooler in the night and early morning as we experience the easterly wind and north-westerly wind in the day,” said K S Hosalikar, deputy director general of IMD. According to IMD records, the last recorded peak was in Nov 2003 when the mercury soared to 37.4; before that, it touched the same level in Nov 1979. So Saturday's readings indicate it was the hottest day in 15 years. In comparison to the IMD’s Santacruz recording of the temperature at 37 degrees Celcius on Sunday, the IMD's Colaba unit reported 35.6 degrees which were two degrees above normal. This year, Oct heat was more intense than last year. For more than 11 days last month, the max temp in the city breached the 37-degrees mark. Last year, in October, the highest recorded maximum temperature for the month was 36.6 degrees. Weathermen said conditions were cloudy over south Konkan and parts adjoining Maharashtra owing to which light rainfall could be expected next week.

After Saturday-Sunday, Mumbaikars will face Monday heat, but in the next two days temperature might witness a slight dip