Winter Makes Early Entry in Mumbai with Sub-20°C Reading
Mumbai residents woke up to a surprising chill on Sunday morning as the city recorded its first sub-20 degrees Celsius temperature of the current season. The mercury plunged to 19.6 degrees Celsius, marking a significant departure from the typical winter readings and signaling an early arrival of colder weather conditions.
IMD Data Reveals Significant Temperature Drop
According to official data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the suburban observatory located in Santacruz registered the season's lowest temperature at 19.6 degrees Celsius. This reading represents a substantial 2.3 degrees below normal for this time of year and shows a noticeable two-degree drop from Friday morning's recording of 21.2 degrees Celsius.
The coastal observatory in Colaba also experienced cooler conditions, recording minimum temperatures of 22.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday morning. This measurement was 1.7 degrees below the normal range, indicating that the cooling trend affected both suburban and coastal areas of the city.
While nighttime temperatures showed this dramatic decline, daytime temperatures presented a different picture. Records indicate that the maximum temperature in the island city division reached 32.9 degrees Celsius on Saturday, creating a significant temperature variation between day and night.
Weather Patterns Behind the Temperature Plunge
Meteorological experts attribute this unusual temperature drop to specific weather patterns developing across the country. Mahesh Palawat from Skymet Weather Services explained the phenomenon, stating, "Several hills in north India have been experiencing snowfall. This has led to the arrival of northerly and north-easterly winds in the region."
He further elaborated that these cold, dry winds have caused temperature reductions across north central India as well as Maharashtra, including Mumbai. Weather models suggest that temperatures might experience a marginal further decrease over the next two to three days.
"Until another system develops and breaks the flow of northerly winds, the weather may continue to remain pleasant in the coming days," Palawat added, offering hope to Mumbaikars enjoying the respite from typical humid conditions.
Earlier Cold Spell and Pollution Concerns
This recent temperature drop follows an earlier cold spell earlier this month when unseasonal showers swept through Mumbai. During that period, daytime temperatures had fallen to 27 degrees Celsius, creating what weather historians identified as Mumbai's coldest November day in at least one decade.
However, the pleasant temperatures come with an environmental concern. The drop in mercury has coincided with a deterioration in air quality levels. After enjoying satisfactory air quality in the previous week due to unseasonal showers, Mumbai's Air Quality Index (AQI) has shown a concerning increase.
On Sunday morning, the AQI touched 104, categorizing the air quality as moderate. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board revealed that Sewri recorded the worst AQI at 250, which falls into the poor category. Ozone emerged as one of the most prominent pollutants during this period.
The weather bureau predicts that minimum temperatures in Mumbai and neighboring districts will likely hover between 18 and 19 degrees Celsius in the coming days, while daytime temperatures may remain in the range of 34-35 degrees Celsius.
