40°C, 34°C… and what's next? 3 heatwave alerts already in Mumbai as city bakes under scorching sun

Within the first ten days of March 2026, the weather department issued 3 heatwave warnings for the city. The first alert came on March 5, followed by additional warnings on March 9 and March 10 as temperatures remained significantly above normal.

The weather bureau issues a heatwave warning when the temperature at a coastal station touches 37°C or more and at least two stations record a departure of 4.5°C or higher above the normal temperature.

The city witnessed a noticeable fall in daytime temperatures on Wednesday. The maximum temperature dropped to 34.2°C, nearly 6°C lower than the previous day, when the mercury had surged close to the 40°C mark.

The highest maximum temperature among automatic stations was recorded at Vikhroli (36.9°C).

Just a day earlier, temperatures had soared sharply, touching around 40°C. The spike pushed readings well above normal levels and intensified the ongoing hot spell.

Data from automatic weather stations across the city indicated slightly lower temperatures overall. However, readings varied across locations, with some areas still experiencing relatively higher daytime heat.

IMD scientist Sushma Nair said the temperature drop was caused by the early onset of the sea breeze and weaker easterly winds compared to the previous two days.

On Wednesday, minimum temperatures were also above normal, with Colaba recording 24.4°C and Santacruz 23°C, which were 2.2°C and 2.9°C above normal, respectively.

The highest maximum was recorded at Vikhroli (36.9°C), followed by Ram Mandir (36.2°C), Vidyavihar (34.5°C), Byculla (34.1°C), Tata Power Chembur (33.4°C), and Dahisar (33°C).

IMD scientist Sushma Nair said, “The anticyclone that had persisted over south Gujarat for a prolonged period has also shifted.”