Gusty winds, light rain drive down Mumbai’s AQI below 100

The last time Mumbai had ‘satisfactory’ AQI was on November 10 and 11, when it measured 87 and 90, respectively

Mumbai: Gusty winds with speeds up to 40kmph and light rain through Sunday dispersed pollutants and brought down temperatures in the city. According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) 4pm bulletin, the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) in Mumbai was ‘satisfactory’ at 98, with PM2.5 and PM10 contributing to the pollution based on readings at 25 out of 30 locations. The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) too placed the city’s AQI at 94 (satisfactory), with PM2.5 particles to blame. SAFAR readings are based on nine locations that are included in CPCB’s database.

Mumbai, India - Nov 26, 2023 : People walk in an Unseasonal Rain shower seen at Andheri, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov 26, 2023. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

The last time Mumbai had ‘satisfactory’ AQI was on November 10 and 11, when it measured 87 and 90, respectively.

While many parts of Mumbai witnessed lightning and thunderstorms, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 9.2mm rain in south Mumbai and 5.2mm rain in the suburbs, bringing relief from the previous day’s heat. The department placed Mumbai on ‘green’ alert, forecasting rain or thundershowers towards the afternoon or evening on Monday, while Thane, Palghar and Raigad were placed under ‘yellow’ alert.

KS Hosalikar, head, climate research and services, IMD, Pune attributed the untimely rain to western disturbances leading to westerly winds that are interacting with easterly winds brought on by the north-east monsoon.

The maximum temperature recorded at the Santacruz weather station was 32.2 degree Celsius, a noticeable drop from the 35.7 degrees Celsius recorded on Saturday. Similarly, maximum temperature at Colaba was 32.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday as compared to 33.8 degrees Celsius the previous day. The minimum temperatures recorded at 5.30am in south Mumbai and the suburbs stood at 22 and 22.7 degrees Celsius, respectively.

On Saturday, IMD had issued a yellow alert for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) for Sunday, indicating that thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (30-40kmph) were very likely in Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts. Heavy rainfall and isolated thunderstorms with lightning were also forecast for Palghar. Besides MMR, yellow alert was issued in 22 other districts of Maharashtra, while the districts of Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Nashik, and Aurangabad were placed under orange alert.

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Citizens can now lodge air pollution complaints

Ht Correspondent

If you find an errant builder spreading dust or not using water sprinklers, or if you discover waste burning illegally in your area, you can now raise complaints dirently with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) via a mobile app, an emergency mobile number and other ways.

The website for lodging pollution-related complaints is www.portal.mcgm.gov.in; the mobile app is called MyBMC 24x7; the WhatsApp number is 8169681697 and the helpline number is 1916. The complaints will be forwarded to ward-level special squads, which are already in place, for issuing stop work notices or taking penal action.