Heat wave to prevail in city for next two days

Mumbai: The heat wave will prevail in the city for the next two days, as per the warning issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday. The maximum temperature recorded in the city on Wednesday morning was 37.8 degree Celsius, which is expected to touch 38 degrees Celsius, the hottest temperature of this year till now, over the next two days. It will be 6 degree Celsius above normal. IMD experts have attributed the weather conditions to warm easterly winds surfacing over the city.

The weather warning issued by the IMD stated that heat wave conditions are likely at isolated over coastal Saurashtra and coastal Konkan. “The heat waves conditions are expected to prevail over Greater Mumbai, Raigad and Ratnagiri for next 48 hours. It is due to the surfacing of warm easterly winds which is not letting the cooler sea wind to set in,” said an official from the IMD, western division.

The weather experts have advised people to avoid stepping out at noon, if not required and to stay hydrated. Meanwhile, IMD officials have claimed that the mercury will start dipping on the day of Holi with an expected temperature of 36 degrees Celsius.

The humidity levels were recorded at 74 percent, which is seven percent above normal. The minimum temperature for Wednesday was recorded at 21 degree Celsius. The air quality remained poor after seven consecutive days, with Air Quality Index(AQI) of 243. Malad, Andheri, BKC, Mazagaon and Navi Mumbai recorded ‘very poor’ AQI, with PM2.5 levels higher than 300 at these places.