Mumbai weather updates: ‘Nothing really works against this heat’

Once known for its humid but relatively stable climate Mumbai is now battling an escalating heat crisis The city is witnessing a surge in heatwave days compounded by the Urban Heat Island UHI effectmdashan alarming phenomenon caused by dense construction disappearing green cover and heatretaining infrastructure Together theyrsquove turned Mumbai into a furnace with the most crowded areas suffering the worstRoad workers continue digging work under the blazing sun at Kalanagar Bandra EastTo understand the human cost of this rising heat midday spoke to those who spend long hours outdoors braving the blistering sun traffic police dabbawalas postmen and residents of informal settlementsRailway porters rest in the shade near Bandra Terminus trying to escape the blazing sun PicsAshish RajeHotter every yearA Swiggy delivery rider on duty fully covered up against the harsh afternoon sun at MahalaxmiIn 2024 alone Mumbai experienced more than 10 heatwave daysmdasha massive leap from the one or two recorded annually just a decade ago Urbanisation has amplified the UHI effect pushing temperatures in congested neighbourhoods 35degC higher than less crowded areas The result Sweltering nights relentless heat and growing health risks for the cityrsquos most vulnerableNo aid for labourersA water vendor waits at the Bandstand promenade in Bandra on March 1 PicAshish RajeSpeaking about those worsthit by the rising heat housing rights activist Bilal Khan convenor of Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan told midday ldquoHeatwaves are now routine Slum residents transit camp dwellers and daily wage labourers waiting at nakas are worst affected The government must act Why are gardens shut during peak hours when people could use them for reliefrdquoA porter hauls luggage outside the parcel section at Bandra Terminus under the afternoon sun PicAshish RajeKhan asked why Mumbai still lacks a dedicated heat action plan ldquoIf Ahmedabad can do it why not Mumbai or Maharashtra Development must be inclusive and consistent We need policies that prioritise the most vulnerablerdquoBilal Khan housing rights activist convenor of Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao AndolanOn the frontlineTraffic police are among the hardest hit A traffic constable posted in Borivli said ldquoWersquore used to heat but this is different There are no instructions or allowances for breaks and we canrsquot leave our postsrdquoA police constable finds shade under an umbrella at Mahalaxmi amid the unrelenting afternoon heat PicAshish RajeHonaji More a constable stationed in Mahalaxmi added ldquoEven with water breaks we feel dizzy and fatigued Our shifts are from 7 am to 3 pm and 3 pm to 11 pm Irsquom on the second shiftmdashstanding in the sun is draining but duty comes firstrdquoHandcart workers hydrate themselves at Abdul Rehman Street as temperatures soar PicAnurag AhireDabbawalas Mumbairsquos tiffin carriers are also feeling the burn ldquoWe receive no official assistancerdquo said Ulhas Muke president of the Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity Trust ldquoStill staying home isnrsquot an option We carry lemon juice and electrolytes but dehydration is constantrdquoUlhas Muke president of the Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity TrustMuke added that some elected representatives have helped by providing shaded resting spots ldquoBut most dabbawalas many of them over 50 still cycle through heatwave conditions dailyrdquoRitesh Andre who oversees the dabbawala operations and is a descendant of the cityrsquos first tiffin carrier added ldquoWersquove formed support teams to help anyone who falls ill Wersquore also shifting more of the load to our younger members to protect the older onesrdquoPostmen sort letters while seated under the Lower Parel bridge to escape the heat PicAshish RajePostmen face similar struggles Sangeeta Shinde a postwoman in Malad East said ldquoFrom 11 am to 4 pm wersquore out in the field We walk 45 km daily often climbing stairs in buildings with no lifts Caps and lemon juice help a little but nothing really works against this heatrdquo Another postman in Andheri said ldquoBy noon our uniforms feel like theyrsquore on fire We try to move faster but itrsquos toughrdquoTrapped insideFor those living in tinroofed slums the heat doesnrsquot end with the workday In places like Dharavi Govandi Mankhurd and Kurla homes become ovensVasanti Pawar at her house at Chitra Chawl in the Nehru Nagar slum in Vile Parle West PicSatej ShindeVasanti Pawar 67 a resident of Nehru Nagar Juhu said ldquoThe heat has become unbearable in the last few years We canrsquot sleep at night or stay indoors during the day One fan is all we havemdashwe canrsquot afford an ACrdquoHer home is now surrounded by taller buildings blocking airflow ldquoWersquore suffocating The heat inside is worse than outsiderdquo said Shabana Sheikh from Mankhurd ldquoWe pour water on the roof but it doesnrsquot helprdquo she further addedVasanti Pawar 67 a resident of Nehru Nagar JuhuAhmed Khan in Kurla added ldquoMy mother has asthma A fan only blows around hot airmdashwe canrsquot afford betterrdquoNew data confirmsUHI impactA recent study by Respirer Living Sciences shows stark temperature variations across Mumbai Between March 1 and March 22 2025gtgt Vasai West recorded 335degCgtgt Ghatkopar hit 333degCgtgt Colaba reached 324degCgtgt Powai in contrast was a much cooler 204degCThatrsquos a 131degC difference within the same cityWhat causes UHIDensely packed concrete buildings lack of trees and high pollutionmdashall of which trap heat and worsen microclimate conditions ldquoMicroclimate zones are now forming within Mumbairdquo said Ronak Sutaria founder of Respirer ldquoThe consequencesmdashhealth stress energy strain and inequalitymdashare growingrdquo He called for zonespecific heat forecasting and localised solutions ldquoMumbai isnrsquot one uniform city We need green infrastructure reflective roofs and smart planning at a neighbourhood levelrdquoHeat divide widensAn analysis of 22 CPCB stations revealed alarming temperature gaps across Mumbai Vasai West topped the charts with an average of 335degC while Powai remained much cooler at 204degC mdash a staggering 131degC difference Ghatkopar recorded 333degC Colaba 324degC Chakala Andheri East 234degC and Chembur 255degC ldquoThese disparities reflect the rise of microclimates within the cityrdquo said climate researcher Aditya Sutaria ldquoThey have deep implications for health energy use and equityrdquoColaba no more a lsquocool zonersquoHistorically cooled by sea breeze Colaba is heating upZonespecific forecastingSutaria stressed the need for hyperlocal planning ldquoMumbai cannot be treated as one thermal unit Solutions like reflective roofs green cover and smart architecture must be tailored zone by zonerdquoMarch 2025Heatwave previewBetween March 6ndash11 Mumbai saw near40degC highs due to strong easterlies and a delayed sea breeze March 9 and 10 touched 37degC Authorities issued warnings for March 18 as more spikes loomedRepeat patternsA 2024 study by Respirer Living Sciences had already flagged similar temperature gaps mdash Borivli East was 13degC cooler than concreteheavy WorliThe bigger pictureldquoHeat stress isnrsquot hitting everyone equallyrdquo said Andheri resident Mrunalini Kamat ldquoWe need neighbourhoodspecific interventions to protect people mdash especially children and the elderlyrdquoSutaria added ldquoThese sustained heat spells before summer even starts show we canrsquot delay action on the Urban Heat Island effectrdquoHealth crisis in the makingHospitals are already reporting more heatstroke and dehydration cases especially in lowincome areas Children and the elderly are at greatest riskYet climate adaptation remains missing in urban planning Experts urge immediate action mdash shaded public areas cool roofs and community cooling centresLocal efforts not enoughSome communities have begun installing cool roofs and planting trees but experts say resilience must scale fastMumbairsquos heatwave trendsHeatwave criteriagtgt Standard Max temp gt 37degC or 4564degC above normalgtgt Severe Max temp ge 65degC above normalHeatwaves 1977ndash2025gtgt Total since 1977 13gtgt Last 15 years 8 showing a sharp risegtgt Severe events 2004 2011 2022 2023 2024 2025Warming trendgtgt Decadal rise 1973ndash2020 025degCgtgt Annual increasegtgt 1973ndash1998 0004degCgtgt 1999ndash2008 0011degCgtgt 2009ndash2020 0042degCMCAP insight Urbanisation is intensifying heat especially at night ldquoThe evening and nighttime spikes point to a hyperlocal manmade phenomenonrdquo notes the reportIMD amp MCAP dataatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params