Mumbai recorded the second-highest temperature in March this decade on Sunday, according to the Indian Meteorological Department.
The mercury in the city soared to 41 degrees Celsius on 25 March, IMD director Shubhangi Bhute told PTI on Monday.
This made Sunday the second hottest day in March this decade, getting within touching distance of 41.3 degrees recorded on 17 March 2011 – the highest March temperature in 10 years.
The highest-ever temperature Mumbai recorded in March was on 28 March 1956, when the mercury reached 41.7 degrees C, Bhute said.
The next few days are likely to be hot in Mumbai, with the temperatures likely to hover right around 41 degrees C, according to the IMD.
A low-level inversion led to a spike in temperatures. The easterly winds don’t let the sea breeze effect to set in, which is why the temperatures rise.Shubhangi Bhute, IMD Director
The weather department has warned of a very hot summer this year in central and north India. In a report just three weeks ago, the weather office cautioned about "normal to above normal heat wave conditions" in central India, NDTV reported.
(With inputs from NDTV and the Press Trust of India)