First time this season: Minimum temperature dips below 20 degrees Celsius in Mumbai

The onset of winter in Mumbai became more pronounced on Thursday, with minimum nighttime temperature falling below the 20 degrees Celsius mark for the first time this season — settling at 19.8 degrees Celsius

The onset of winter in the city became more pronounced on Thursday, with minimum nighttime temperature falling below the 20 degrees Celsius mark for the first time this season — settling at 19.8 degrees Celsius. This was down from 21.4 degrees Celsius a day earlier, and 23.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. A minimum temperature in the city have remained below normal for the past two days, and is likely to stay below normal through the weekend, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials have said.

A minimum temperature in Mumbai have remained below normal for the past two days, and is likely to stay below normal through the weekend, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials have said. This was down from 21.4 degrees Celsius a day earlier, and 23.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. (HT PHOTO)

This is as per data from the IMD observatory in Santacruz, taken as representative of Mumbai. Colaba in south Mumbai, on the other hand, remained relatively warmer with a minimum temperature at 22.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday. As per IMD’s seven-day forecast for the city, thunderstorms coupled with light showers could occur early next week.

“There is a depression which is moving northwest and will emerge as a low-pressure area over the Arabian Sea. Due to changing wind patterns and availability of moisture, there will be increased convection with a chance of thunderstorms and this will bring down temperatures further,” said a meteorologist with IMD’s regional forecasting centre in Mumbai. These showers will be felt not only in Mumbai city and suburbs but also in parts of Thane, Kalyan, Panvel and the larger MMR region.

Air quality in the city, meanwhile, has remained in the ‘moderate’ category of the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) air quality index (AQI) bulletin — settling at 174 on Thursday. This was up from 164 the day prior, also in the ‘moderate’ category, which cautions against “breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases”.

PM2.5 (small respirable particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, or a hundred times thinner than a human hair) were observed to be the most prominent pollutant in the city, as per the CPCB.

“If it rains next week there may be some relief from air pollution, but it will be short-lived. Temperatures will reduce due to the rains and this will again cause a spike in pollution,” said IMD official cited above. The maximum daytime temperature on Thursday, meanwhile, settled at 34.5 degrees Celsius (one degree above normal) and is expected to remain thereabouts for the next week, forecasts suggest.