The maximum temperature in Mumbai touched 38.1 degree Celsius on Wednesday, five degrees above normal. This was the third time this month that Mumbai's maximum temperature crossed the 38-degree mark, after touching 38.1 degree Celsius on March 4 and 38.2 degree Celsius on March 5. The maximum daytime temperature in March last year was 37.5 degree Celsius (on March 17). The previous day's maximum temperature was 35.3 degree Celsius. IMD officials attributed the sudden uptick in mercury to hot, dry land breezes originating from the east and north-east of Mumbai. "The temperature of the city is heavily influenced by the balance of sea and land breezes. Hot, dry winds in the middle level, and lower-level winds blowing from the east, caused delayed setting of the sea breeze which tends to have a cooling effect in the latter part of the day. As a result, daytime temperatures across Mumbai rose during the day," said an IMD official. The Colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 35.4 degree Celsius on Wednesday, up from 33 degree Celsius the day prior. As per the IMD's seven-day forecast for the city, the maximum temperature is expected to drop to between 35 and 36 degree Celsius over the next week, while the minimum temperature is expected to remain at a steady 24 degree Celsius.
