The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Monday advised citizens to take precautions and avoid stepping out of their homes between 12 pm and 3 pm on March 15 and 16 after the India Meteorological Department issued a heatwave warning for the Konkan region of Maharashtra among other areas.

The weather department warned of severe heatwave conditions over the Konkan region, which includes Mumbai, and Saurashtra-Kutch region of Gujarat, on March 14 and March 15.

A heatwave occurs when the temperature recorded is more than 4.5-6.4 degrees Celsius above normal, and if it is more than 6.4 degrees Celsius above normal, it is a severe heatwave, according to the weather monitor.

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Further, if the maximum temperature exceeds 45 degrees Celsius, it is a heatwave and if it exceeds 47 degrees Celsius, it is a severe heatwave.

On Sunday, the India Meteorological Department’s Santacruz weather station recorded a daytime temperature of 38.6 degrees Celsius, which was 5.7 degrees above normal, reported The Times of India. Colaba reported a daytime temperature of 37.6 degrees Celsius, 6.1 degrees Celsius above normal, according to the report.

The department forecast for March 15 marked the Konkan and Saurashtra-Kutch regions in orange, indicating an alert to be prepared.

The yellow colouring, for West Rajasthan, the Gujarat region and coastal Karnataka, indicated being on watch, according to the department’s website.

The forecast for Tuesday has regions marked in orange – including Mumbai – indicating an alert for heatwave conditions, while those in yellow are on watch. Credit: India Meteorological Department