Heatwave wrap: Mumbai's unseasonal rains cools weather; Sydney through worst heatwave in 165 years

Mumbai, suburbs woke up to intense rainfall (Image: VinodShigvan_/Twitter)

An intense spell of unseasonal rainfall lashed across Mumbai and adjoining regions in the early hours of March 21, which ended up providing respite to the residents from the scorching heat. The city, along with parts of Maharashtra, was facing heatwave-like conditions earlier this month.

Here are the top weather-related stories in today's heatwave wrap:

Unseasonal rains lash Mumbai, Delhi, and parts of Northwestern India

The country's top two cities - Mumbai and Delhi - and some pockets in northwestern India, recorded rainfall on March 21. The maximum downpour was reported in Mumbai, where the civic body said there was 20-25 mm of rain between 7 am and 8 am.

In Delhi, which had been witnessing record-high temperatures for March in the past week, a rainfall of 10 mm was recorded. According to the India Meteorological Department, this is the highest rainfall the city has received in the month of March in the past three years.

The rains brought down Mumbai's daytime temperature to 30 degrees Celsius from as high as 35 degrees Celsius recorded last week. Delhi's weather cooled down to around 27 degrees during the day, from as high as 32 degrees clocked last week.

Sydney reeling under worst heatwave in 165 years

Sydney, one of Australia's prime economic hubs, is reeling under the worst heatwave in the past 165 years, states a report published by the report by the Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The city has been recording temperatures above 30 degree Celsius for the last four days -- which is way above the average March temperatures.

Experts attribute the unusually hot weather conditions to the El Nino effect prevalent in the region. In the days to come, the weather could further heat up in inland parts of eastern Australia, local media reports said.

US scientists find heat roiling ocean surfaces

A new kind of marine heatwave phenomenon is being observed, with the heat roiling the surfaces of the oceans, as per the findings of a research conducted by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The research was conducted in the waters close to the coast of North America. The scientists had found that marine heatwaves can emerge deep underwater, and even sizzle the ocean bottoms, while no such heating phenomenon may be witnessed above the water.

The research dates back to 2021, but its findings have been put in public domain this week by Nature Communications. "This is the first time we've been able to really dive deeper and assess how these extreme events unfold along shallow seafloors," the study's lead author Dillon Amaya was quoted as saying.