After week-long cold spell, mercury rises in Mumbai

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) says the temperatures are expected to fall again by the end of this week.

After almost a week of a cold spell, temperatures in the city soared on Monday. The Santacruz station of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which is indicative of the city’s temperature, recorded a maximum temperature of 34.9 degrees Celsius, 3.5 degrees above normal. At Colaba, maximum temperature was 32 degrees Celsius, 1.7 degrees above normal.

Mumbai’s air quality improved marginally on Monday with an overall AQI of 221 as opposed to Saturday’s 286. (HT FILE)

Minimum temperatures, too, increased slightly on Monday and were well above normal. At Santacruz, minimum temperature was 19 degrees Celsius, which was 1.4 degrees above normal while Colaba recorded 20.5 degrees Celsius, 0.9 degrees above normal.

“It was a good warm morning in Mumbai on Monday with minimum temperature, as expected to be observed, at 19°C. Similar trend is seen in the state with rising trend in both minimum and maximum temperature. As per IMD GFS guidance, by end of this week, minimum temperatures are expected to start falling,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region, IMD, on Twitter.

Meanwhile, air quality improved marginally on Monday but remained in the poor category. An overall air quality index (AQI) — an air quality indicator — of 221 was measured on Monday as opposed to Saturday’s 286.

Andheri with an AQI of 301 had the worst air, followed by Mazagaon at 280.

“Air quality of Mumbai is in the poor category. With current wind, local emission with continental pollution will keep AQI poor for Mumbai in the next two days,” according to a short range forecast by SAFAR.

AQI was 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.