Mumbai: Residents in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs are reeling under sweltering summer heat as a significant spike in moisture levels makes the weather increasingly oppressive. While official maximum temperatures remain between 33°C and 35°C, the rising humidity has made conditions far more stifling than the drier heat seen in March. This discomfort is fueled by geography, as these inland areas sit over 10 km from the coast and miss out on the cooling sea breeze that regulates western Mumbai, leaving them exposed to warm northwesterly winds.Meteorologists point out that the current sticky and sweaty weather is not a result of record-breaking peak temperatures, but rather the heavy moisture content in the air. While peak mercury levels are standard for this time of year, the high humidity prevents natural cooling through evaporation, making the atmosphere feel significantly heavier and more punishing than the dry heat waves experienced earlier in the summer.Independent meteorologist Abhijit Modak noted that while March often sees sharper spikes with temperatures crossing 40°C in drier air, April and May are defined by rising moisture levels rather than extreme heat. He also flagged a data limitation, pointing out that the absence of an IMD observatory in the eastern suburbs means citywide averages may not fully reflect the severity of conditions in those specific pockets.On Sunday, the IMD’s Colaba observatory recorded an average temperature of 34.4°C, 1°C above normal, while the minimum stood at 26.5°C. At Santacruz, the maximum was 33.8°C with a minimum of 26°C, both marginally warmer than usual. Despite the current stretch of oppressive weather, the IMD expects the situation to improve shortly.“We are monitoring the current wind patterns and moisture levels closely. Residents can expect some respite as temperatures should reduce and let up in the next few days,” said Nitha Sasidharan from the IMD. Until then, the eastern belt continues to bear the brunt of the pre-monsoon heat as inland winds intensify the discomfort by early afternoon.
