Mumbaikars Stumped as City Sizzles at 35.6°C in Dec; Experts Blame Decreasing Vegetation, Water Bodies

Is it the winters or is it summer? The sudden rise in temperature has left Mumbaikars perplexed. On Friday, Mumbai recorded close to 40°C, the highest day temperature across Maharashtra.

As per the data by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city recorded a maximum temperature of 35.6°C. This, however, is not sudden. On Thursday, the city recorded 34.9°C, also the highest in Maharashtra.

Other cities like Ratnagiri recorded 35.4°C, followed by Pune 32.3°C and Dahanu 31.8°C. Even Santacruz, which recorded Mumbai’s minimum temperature at 23, was four degrees above normal.

According to the Meteorological Department, a deep depression in the Arabian Sea has changed the direction of the wind, causing the it to blow towards the southeast. The situation is likely to remain the same for the next few days. Apart from daytime, the temperature at night has also increased in Mumbai.

On Friday, the Meteorological Department’s Colaba observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 24.4°C, while Santa Cruz recorded a low of 23°C. Last four days the weather in Mumbai and surrounding areas was cold but since yesterday the temperature has increased due to change in weather.

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What Experts Say

 A report by Hindustan Times said the Land surface temperature (LST) in south Mumbai became warmer by 5 degrees Celsius (°C) between 2000 and 2020, according to a new study led by researchers at the National Environmental Engineering Institute (NEERI).

The news report claimed that the study found average LST of Mumbai has increased from 27.1°C to 32.2°C over 20 years, which according to experts, was a direct result of an increase in built-up area and a decrease in vegetation and water bodies. This has led to an exacerbation of the urban heat island (UHI) effect.