Mumbai and its adjoining areas, including Thane, received light rains on Thursday night and Friday morning. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has now predicted light showers for the whole day today (Friday), due to the formation of a low-pressure belt between South Central Arabian Sea to Central Maharashtra.
The IMD predicted that Mumbai and adjoining areas will witness a generally cloudy sky with the possibility of light rain throughout Friday.
Some areas of the state may receive thunderstorms and showers. KS Hosalikar, deputy director-general of western region, IMD, in a tweet said: "Light to mod rains reported in isolated places in Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Pune, Satara, Sindudurg, Kolhapur few more places in last 24 hrs."
As a result of the unseasonal rain, the maximum temperature in the city saw a drop. On Friday, India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory recorded the minimum temperature at 23.4 degrees Celsius, while the Colaba observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 23 degree Celsius. Meanwhile, Santacruz and Colaba recorded a high temperature of 30.7 degree Celsius and 28 degree Celsius, respectively.
However, Mumbai's air quality continues to remain in the ‘very poor’ category. According to the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the air quality index (AQI) for all pollutants on Friday was 319 (very poor). An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".
The air quality index of Mumbai surged on Thursday, surpassing New Delhi, due to cloudy conditions. The air quality index for Mumbai was 313 compared to Delhi's 239.
Meanwhile, IMD on Thursday predicted rainfall for the next three days in the Konkan region and Central Maharashtra which includes Mumbai, Thane, Pune.
The wet spell will be prominent over Central Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha from January 7 to January 9. Konkan region will be mildest of all with isolated and light rain particularly over the southern parts of the region.
