IMD issues heatwave warning in Mumbai on March 9, 10
IMD has predicted the temperature is slated to soar above 38 degrees from March 9 to March 10 in isolated pockets of Mumbai and neighbouring districts of Thane and Raigad.
Written by Nayonika Bose
Mumbai | March 6, 2025 08:05 PM IST
3 min read
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Women with their faces fully wrapped in scarves as a protection from the heat, walk along a street, at Bandra in Mumbai on Thursday.
(Express Photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday issued a heatwave warning in isolated pockets of Mumbai and its neighbouring districts of Thane and Raigad on March 9 and 10. This is the second time in the last two weeks that the IMD is issuing a heatwave alert in the city.
After a brief respite, Mumbai is currently reeling under rising daytime temperatures, nudging the weather bureau to issue also a yellow warning of “hot and humid” conditions for the coastal city until Friday.
According to data from IMD, Colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 35.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday afternoon – which is over five degrees above the normal. In Colaba, the daytime temperatures spiked to 35.5 degrees. This came along the heels of the city logging a maximum temperature of 37.4 degrees on Wednesday.
Nights remained relatively cooler as the minimum temperatures dipped over one degree below the normal in the suburban areas observing minimum temperature at 18.6 degrees on Thursday morning.
With the temperatures rising, the IMD has sounded a yellow warning for Mumbai on Thursday, indicating that hot and humid conditions are likely to prevail in isolated pockets of the city until Friday.
The weather department has also announced a heatwave alert over the weekend with temperatures slated to soar above 38 degrees from March 9 (Sunday) to March 10 (Monday).
Meteorologists attribute the heatwave-like conditions to an anticyclone system forming in the region.
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Nitha Sasidharan, scientist from IMD Mumbai, told The Indian Express: “Currently, a system of anticyclone is gradually setting in the Maharashtra region. Due to this system, the city is expected to receive strong easterly winds from the interior parts of the country. Since these easterlies are strong, they will delay the westerly winds which is the sea breeze from setting in. This is expected to result in temperatures to spike over 4 – 5 degrees above the normal.”
A heatwave warning is typically issued when a city witnesses a deviation of 4-5 degrees of temperature above normal for at least two consecutive days.
Last month, the IMD had also sounded a heatwave alert between on February 25 and 26 when the city recorded temperatures over 38 degrees for several days.
During the period, the maximum temperature in Mumbai touched an eight-year high of 38.7 degrees.
The current spell of hot weather is typical for March which is generally considered as the phase of transition from winters to summer seasons.
Records show Mumbai’s highest temperature was registered at 41.7 degrees Celsius in 1956 while its coldest day ever was recorded in 2012 when the minimum temperatures dropped to 12.7 degree Celsius.
Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)
Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.
Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:
Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).
Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).
Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.
Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.
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