Why is Mumbai in a record-breaking heatwave? The answer lies in Madhya Pradesh

Mumbai has been reeling from hot and humid weather since October began, with daytime temperatures soaring up to 38 degrees. The city’s suburban and island city observatories have registered record-breaking temperatures. There are many factors contributing to Mumbai’s heatwave, and one of them could be found in Madhya Pradesh.

The heat spells have led the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to place Mumbai and its neighbouring districts of Thane and Palghar under a heatwave. What makes this October heat in Mumbai record-breaking? On October 11, Mumbai's Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees – 4.

9 degrees above the normal level, making it the hottest October day since 2015, when the city recorded 38.6 degrees on October 17. However, a day later, Mumbai broke its own record with the suburban station recording 38.2 degrees, and the next day, the suburban observatory recorded 38 degrees.

Besides 2015, Mumbai has registered 38 degrees only once in the past 11 years – this was in October 2018, when temperatures touched 38 degrees. What's fuelled the spike in temperatures? Meteorologists have attributed the current spike in temperatures to a combination of factors, ranging from the local wind directions to the supersized El Niño weather pattern.