IMD Warns Mumbai Of Severe Summer As Temperature Crosses 37°C Due To..

IMD Warns Mumbai Of Severe Summer 

Mumbai,whichenjoysmild winters andhot andhumid summers, isexperiencingarareFebruary heatwave, with temperaturesreaching37-38°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for themetropolisandneighbouringareas,warningcitizensoftherecordhigh temperature.

Thesuddenrisein temperature,almost5°C abovethe average, has been causing worry regarding water  suppliesand public health, asit is very unusual to experiencesuchhighheat in February.

The current heatwave is attributedtoseveral factors by meteorologists:

• A delayed sea breezetypicallybringscoolingrespiteto the city.
  
• Thestrong easterly windssuppressthemoderating effect of thecooler westerly winds.
  
• A mid-level anticyclone thatretainswarm air,leadingtoincreased temperatures.
  
• Desert-originhot, dry winds fromthe Middle East andMediterranean reached the Indian mainland.

IMD hasforecastanadditionalincreaseof 2-3°C over the Konkanbeltin the next few days, with temperatureslikelytobebetween 37-39°C beforeeasinga bit.

“Over the past 10 years we have recorded day temperatures on the higher side in February. While a heatwave-like situation has not arisen before, this is not totally unprecedented,” Sushma Nair, says a scientist from the IMD.

“At present there is an intervention of easterly winds which is delaying the sea breeze. The sea breeze usually sets in by 10-11 am in the morning, but due to the easterly winds, the setting is delayed by a couple of hours, which results in a rise in temperature during the day. If the sea breeze settled on time, then the temperature wouldn’t have been this high,” Nair added.

Residents are beingadvisedby authorities to becareful against heatstroke and other heat-related aliments, suchasdrinking plenty of water, avoiding thesuninthemiddle of the day, and dressinglightly.

The dramaticdifference between day and night temperatures has alsocontributed to the misery, with nights continuingto be warmer than normal.

Althoughrelief is likelyby the weekend, experts notethat the unprecedented heatwave is a wake-upcallforchanging climate trends and the growing unpredictability of weather patterns.