Mumbai records highest temperature in country for second time in March at 39.4 degrees Celsius, says IMD

Mumbai recorded the highest maximum temperature in the country on Sunday, at 39.4 degrees Celsius, for the second time this month, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), attributing the rise in mercury to an absent or delayed sea breeze. The IMD issued a heat warning on Monday.

The Santacruz observatory and the Colaba observatory recorded a temperature of 39.4 degrees Celsius and 35.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, on Sunday.

"This is for the second time this month that Mumbai has recorded the highest maximum temperature in the country. On March 6, Santacruz (observatory) recorded 39.1 degrees Celsius, also the highest in the country. On Sunday, it recorded 39.4 degrees Celsius," said IMD scientist Rajendra Jenamani.

On March 12, the temperature in the coastal Konkan area, which includes Mumbai, was 4-6 degrees Celsius above usual, according to him.

Jenamani said that this was also observed between March 5-7, when the temperature was 5-7 degrees above normal.

"Normally, Konkan witnesses low temperatures during this time because of the sea breeze at around 11.30 am to 1 pm. However, in the last seven-ten days the sea breeze is absent or delayed because of the dominant easterly winds which have resulted in high temperatures," he added.