Mumbai begins to heat up post monsoon

As the mercury rises steadily in the city, these women completely cover up against the sun. File pic

After a more than extended monsoon, the October heat has begun to kick in at the end of the dreaded month. The maximum temperatures started rising from October 27, with the city reporting 36 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. The unusual climatic conditions this year have led to many guessing it to be 'November Heat' this year. The rise in temperatures is likely to continue for the next few days and it is expected to steady later until December. Mumbaikars are set to see warmer days in November while the mornings will be pleasant. Climate experts, however, said that this should not necessarily mean that October heat has shifted to November.

K S Hosalikar, deputy director general (Meteorology) at IMD, Mumbai, said, "Climate-wise, the first half of November has had records of high maximum temperature days in the past too. Also, this year, the phenomenon has been different, not allowing October heat to show its impact over the city. Presence of weather systems such as late withdrawal of monsoon, cyclonic storm Kyaar over the Arabian sea close to the Konkan coast for a couple of days are factors because of which Mumbai's weather remained cloudy through October. It also saw a drop in temperature up to 26 degrees Celsius around October 17 and 18."

Owing of these, October heat was not experienced much even as eastern winds coming from land regions and responsible for warming the city flew in, he explained. Mumbai as well as Maharashtra should expect patchy rainfall for the next few days as another cyclonic situation is forming over the Arabian Sea - Maha cyclone, he added.

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