Mumbai on Saturday recorded the hottest June day in a decade as the maximum temperature settled at 38.5 degrees Celsius, six notches above normal. Wind speeds between 20 to 30 km per hour were observed, with gusts - strong, short winds - at 30 to 50 km per hour. Various parts of the city also witnessed rain late Saturday night.
The record for the highest temperature seen in June was 39.8 degrees Celsius, observed on June 14, 2007. The hottest day seen last year was June 10, when the maximum temperature was 35.2 degrees Celsius.Colaba recorded a maximum temperature of 34.5 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 29.0 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature recorded in Santacruz was 29.6 degrees Celsius.The cause for the hike in heat, explained Sushma Nair, a scientist with the IMD’s regional forecasting centre in Mumbai, was southerly dry winds. “Only Santacruz and Dahanu have been affected. By Sunday, as the cyclone system moves northward, southwesterly winds will come in from the sea and should have a moderating effect on the temperature,” she said.
According to the IMD’s forecast, the maximum temperature at Santacruz will drop to 37 degrees Celsius on Sunday, followed by 35 degrees Celsius till June 13, after which it will drop by another degree till June 16. Colaba is expected to see maximum temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius on Sunday, and 34 degrees Celsius till Tuesday, following which it will fall to 33 degrees Celsius. There is a slight chance of pre-monsoon showers in Mumbai on Sunday. With the cyclone present in the east-central Arabian Sea, said Hosalikar, its progression northward will allow for southwesterly winds to bring monsoon to the coast.