Mumbai's October heat: 38°C at Santacruz, the first post-monsoon heatwave, and when relief is due
Mumbai has been unusually hot since the monsoon withdrew on 3 October. Santacruz reached 38°C on Sunday 11 October, 4.9°C above normal and the second-highest October maximum in 13 years. The IMD issued a heatwave alert for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri on 9 October, and expects temperatures to ease gradually from Tuesday.
What changed
- Santacruz recorded 38°C on 11 October 2026, the second-highest October maximum in 13 years, after the IMD's first post-monsoon heatwave alert for Mumbai on 9 October.
How hot it got
On Friday 9 October the Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum of 37.8°C, 4.7°C above normal, and Colaba 37°C, 4.4°C above normal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heatwave alert for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri for that day, the first heatwave after this year's monsoon.
On Sunday 11 October Santacruz reached 38°C, 4.9°C above normal. According to IMD data, that is the second-highest October maximum in 13 years, after 38.6°C on 17 October 2015.
Why October can be this hot
The southwest monsoon withdrew from Mumbai on 3 October, five days before its normal date, and temperatures have stayed high since. Without monsoon cloud and rain, the sun heats the ground more strongly.
A Mumbai University environmental science professor quoted in the report also pointed to a long dry spell in September and to wind patterns: north-easterly winds push temperatures up, and heatwave-like conditions build when winds settle over the Arabian Sea after noon.
What comes next
IMD Mumbai Director Bikram Singh said the maximum temperature is expected to fall gradually from Tuesday 13 October. Hot and humid conditions are expected until then, with maximums around 37°C and minimums around 26°C.
Air quality has also been slipping as the weather changes and post-monsoon construction resumes; on 9 October Deonar and Worli recorded the city's poorest readings.
Why it matters
- Heat this far above normal affects outdoor workers, commuters, the elderly and children, and comes in the middle of the festival season.
What remains uncertain
- The easing from Tuesday is a forecast and could change.
- Reported readings for individual days differ slightly between reports; the figures here are those attributed to the Santacruz and Colaba observatories.
Facts and evidence
On 9 October 2026 Santacruz recorded 37.8°C (4.7°C above normal) and Colaba 37°C (4.4°C above normal).
The IMD issued a heatwave alert for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri for 9 October, the first post-monsoon heatwave.
On 11 October 2026 Santacruz recorded 38°C, 4.9°C above normal, the second-highest October maximum in 13 years after 38.6°C on 17 October 2015.
Verified value: 38°C
The southwest monsoon withdrew from Mumbai on 3 October, five days before its normal date.
IMD Mumbai Director Bikram Singh said maximum temperatures are expected to fall gradually from Tuesday.
A professor quoted in the report linked the heat to a long dry September and to wind patterns over the city.
Sources
Free Press Journal: Mumbai weather update: Santacruz records 37.8°C as post-monsoon heatwave pushes temperatures above normal (9 October 2026)Read at the source · EN
Mumbai weather update: Santacruz records 37.8°C as post-monsoon heatwave pushes temperatures above normal (9 October 2026)
Read the original sourceFree Press Journal: Mumbai weather update: city records 38°C, second-highest October temperature in 13 years; IMD predicts relief from Tuesday (11 October 2026)Read at the source · EN
Mumbai weather update: city records 38°C, second-highest October temperature in 13 years; IMD predicts relief from Tuesday (11 October 2026)
Read the original source