Feeling the heat: Thaneites sweat it out at 40.9 Celsius

THANE: Residents from the lake city will have to sweat it out for another two more days as weather officials have predicted that the heat wave will continue till Wednesday. The maximum and minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 40.9 degrees Celsius and 28.1 degrees Celsius on Monday.
While the onset of summer has led to a rise in the maximum and minimum temperatures in the city in the past, this time the temperature has shot up by over six degrees Celsius.
While the maximum temperature had risen from 37.7 degrees on Saturday to 40.6 degrees on Sunday, the temperature shot up to 40.9 degrees Celsius on Monday. Even the minimum temperature rose to 24.3 degrees Celsius on Saturday and it shot up to 26.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday and 28.1 degrees Celsius on Monday.
“The heat wave took has taken us by surprise. Travelling across the city on a motorcycle was unbearable. My eyes went dry and I had to remove my lens because of the irritation. The scarf I was wearing could not keep the heat away and it felt like the peak of summer. I will carry my sunglasses everywhere henceforth,” said Waghbil resident Smruti G.
Meanwhile, weather officials have asserted that the ongoing heat wave is a result of the extremely hot winds blowing over north Maharashtra coastal areas from the north and north east. The officials have said that residents will get slight relief from the heat by Wednesday.
Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist at Skymet weather, said, “The anti-cyclonic activity in south Pakistan region seems to have intensified the hot winds blowing over Thane and Mumbai from South Rajasthan, Gujarat and West MP. As the temperatures have crossed the normal levels by over six degrees Celsius, it is definitely a heat wave. However, we expect the winds to change back to the westerly winds from the Arabian Sea, which will drop the temperatures in the next 48hours.”
“While the sultry climate will turn comparatively cooler by March 27-28, the temperature is expected to be marginally above normal over the next three months. This will increase the possibility of more heat waves this summer,” he said.