At 15.3 degrees, Mumbai records lowest temperature of the season

Mumbai woke up to its coldest winter morning on Wednesday as temperatures dropped to 15.3 degree Celsius, the lowest so far this winter season.

The Santacruz station of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded a minimum temperature of 15.3 degree Celsius, which was 2 degree below normal. Earlier, on January 16, a minimum temperature of 16.6 degree C was recorded at Santacruz. Before that, the lowest minimum temperature of the ongoing winter season was 16 degree Celsius on December 22 last year.

Colaba recorded a minimum temperature of 18 degree Celsius, which was 1 degree below the normal temperature.

The drop in temperatures was in line with the forecast by IMD. “The IMD had forecast that minimum temperatures in and around Mumbai would drop owing to cold winds from the north. This trend is likely to continue for the next two-three days,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general of western region, IMD.

Meanwhile, air quality deteriorated on Wednesday after improving slightly at the beginning of this week. An overall air quality index (AQI)—a pollutant measuring indicator-- of 306 (very poor), was recorded on Wednesday morning. Over the past weekend, air quality had plummeted to the very poor category with AQI measuring 320 on Saturday and 310 on Sunday but improved to 283 (poor) on Monday.

The 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.

The deteriorated air quality is likely because of the cold conditions as pollutants in the air could not be dispersed, said a spokesperson from SAFAR.