Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 39.7 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, making it the warmest day in the metropolis in April since 2009, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.
On April 16, the Santacruz-based observatory (representative of Mumbai's suburbs) recorded a maximum temperature of 39.7 degrees Celsius, an IMD official said.
The mercury reading at the Colaba observatory (representative of south Mumbai) was 35.2 degrees Celsius.
"Our Santacruz-based observatory yesterday (Tuesday) recorded 39.7 degrees Celsius temperature, which was the highest temperature in the last 14 years (in April)," said Sushma Nair, a scientist at IMD Mumbai.
The metropolis had clocked a maximum temperature of 40.6 degrees Celsius on April 2, 2009, she informed.
Colaba and Santacruz observatories had recorded 37.9 degrees Celsius and 34.7 degrees Celsius maximum temperatures, respectively, on Monday.
For the last two days (Monday and Tuesday), the IMD had issued a heatwave warning for Mumbai and neighbouring Thane and Raigad districts. On both days, some parts of Thane and Raigad district experienced temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, though the mercury didn't cross that mark in the financial capital.
On Wednesday, however, Mumbaikars got some relief from soaring temperatures. Colaba and Santacruz observatories recorded maximum temperatures of 34 degrees Celsius and 34.7 degrees Celsius, respectively.
IMD officials said they were expecting a moderate drop in the maximum temperature in Mumbai on Wednesday, but the actual fall was steep and sudden.
"We were expecting a 2-3 degrees Celsius fall in the temperature, but actually it dropped by 4-5 degrees Celsius," Nair said.
Though there was a drop in temperatures, the increased humidity made Mumbaikars sweat profusely. Colaba and Santacruz observatories recorded 78 per cent and 71 per cent relative humidity, respectively.
