Mumbai’s min touches 13.7°, lowest temp in 9 years for Dec

Mumbai saw its coldest December day in nine years with temperatures dropping to 13.7°C. A brief chill is expected before warmer conditions return.

Mumbai: After a week of unseasonably high temperatures, Mumbai experienced a significant dip on Monday, recording its coldest December day in nine years. The Santacruz observatory registered a minimum temperature of 13.7°C, 5.1°C below normal. The last time the city saw such a low was on December 24, 2015, when temperatures dipped to 11.4°C.

Mumbai’s min touches 13.7°, lowest temp in 9 years for Dec

In contrast, Colaba recorded a relatively milder minimum of 19.2°C, which was still 2.5°C below average. However, the chill is expected to be short-lived, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) cautioned. “These cooler temperatures will persist until Tuesday before a gradual rise,” said Sushma Nair, a scientist at IMD Mumbai. “Currently, northerly winds are dominating, leading to the below-normal temperatures. However, a developing low-pressure zone will strengthen, bringing easterly winds and pushing the minimum temperatures up to 19–21°C.”

Last week’s unusual warmth, including a record-breaking 37.3°C maximum temperature—the highest for December in 13 years—and a minimum of 25.5°C on Wednesday, was attributed to Cyclone Fengal. “The cyclone coincided with easterly winds, and significantly elevated temperatures,” Nair explained.

On Monday, the maximum temperatures settled into the 30s. Santacruz recorded 32.2°C, just 0.9°C below normal, while Colaba logged 30.3°C, 2.4°C under average.