Overview
- The India Meteorological Department has issued yellow alerts for Mumbai and neighbouring districts and forecasts mainly clear, hot and humid conditions with highs near 38°C for the next 48 hours.
- City observatories have logged elevated readings this week, with Santacruz near 37.8–38.2°C and Colaba about 36.4°C, confirming several consecutive days of heatwave‑like conditions.
- IMD scientist Sushma Nair cited early monsoon withdrawal and a switch to easterly, anti‑cyclonic winds as the main meteorological drivers of the current spell.
- Researchers and recent studies point to Mumbai’s Urban Heat Island effect — dense high‑rises, loss of green cover and altered wind flow — as a factor that traps heat after sunset and raises local temperatures.
- Air quality is uneven across the city with overall readings ranging from satisfactory to moderate or poor at some stations, and authorities advise staying hydrated and limiting sun exposure for vulnerable groups.