Mumbai: Mumbaikars woke up to a chilly Tuesday morning as temperatures in the city dropped further as northerly winds continued to blow on Tuesday. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Santacruz recorded a minimum temperature of 15°C and Colaba, 17°C. Temperatures will continue to fall for the next two or three days, the IMD has predicted.
According to the IMD, the dip in temperatures is due to the dry northerly/north-westerly winds blowing from the Himalayas over the plains of north-west and central India.
“It is a seasonal phenomenon and temperatures are expected to fall further for the next three days. As a result of snowfall over the northern parts of the country, cool northerly winds have brought down temperatures in Mumbai. Moreover, some pockets in Mumbai could see a further dip in temperature,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director, IMD. Meanwhile, the trend is likely to continue for 24 hours, with a gradual increase in temperatures thereafter,
Earlier, the lowest temperature recorded this season was 15.8°C on December 23. Last year, the lowest recorded temperature was 16.4°C and the year before that, 14.4°C.
The maximum temperature in south Mumbai and the suburbs also fell below the 30-degree mark. Colaba recorded 27.6 degrees Celsius, 1.2 degrees below normal and Santacruz recorded 29.4 degrees Celsius, 1.2 degrees above normal.
Meanwhile, the air quality in and around Mumbai improved slightly, from poor to moderate, on Monday, with an overall air quality index (AQI)—a pollutant measuring indicator-- of 180 (moderate) being recorded. The AQI is calculated by the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) as the average of indices recorded at 10 locations in the city and suburbs. SAFAR categorises AQI levels for PM2.5 in the 0-50 range as good; 51-100 as satisfactory; 101-200 as moderate; 201-300 as poor; 301-400 as very poor and above 400 as severe.
