PremiumAI Narration Listen 00:000.5x0.75x1x1.25x1.5x2xThank you for your feedback.Your feedback has been reported succesfully.We need to break administrative silos and integrate heat preparedness, pollution control and public-health planningThe city’s coastal climate may moderate temperatures under normal conditions, but it can no longer be taken for granted as a shield against weather vagaries and deteriorating air quality. (Express Photo by Anurag Ahire)5 min readNew DelhiOct 18, 2026 09:22 PM IST First published on: Oct 18, 2026 at 09:22 PM ISTDear Express Reader,A rainfall-deficit monsoon has given way to an unseasonal heat spell in Mumbai. On October 12, the city recorded 38°C — more than 5°C above normal — and residents sweated through much of the past two weeks as they would in peak summer. The India Meteorological Department attributed the unusual weather to an anticyclonic circulation and shifting wind patterns that delayed the sea breeze, depriving Mumbai of its natural cooling mechanism. High humidity compounded the discomfort, while the urban heat-island effect, caused by concrete buildings, asphalt roads and shrinking green spaces, trapped heat in densely built neighbourhoods. ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebook