MUMBAI: The city was in the grip of October heat once again on Friday with maximum temperatures soaring past 36 degree Celsius, up from 34.3 degrees a day ago and higher than 35 degrees recorded on three days of the month last year.
The forecast for Saturday says maximum temperatures of 35 degrees and mostly clear skies are expected.
On Friday, the Indian Meteorological Department’s Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 36.1 degrees. Last year, it had touched 35 degrees on three October days of 10, 28 and 29.
Earlier this month, the maximum temperature had touched 36.4 degrees on October 15, higher than that recorded on Friday. IMD’s Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature 2.2 degrees above normal on Friday and Colaba 33.4 degrees, which was 0.2 degrees above normal.
IMD officials said the reason for the rise was stronger easterly winds. “On Friday, sea breeze over Mumbai set in very late at 2.30pm than its normal time of around 11.30am, resulting in the city getting hotter,” said an official. Minimum temperature stood at 22.6 Celsius, one degree below normal.
