At 34°C, Mumbai gets warmer; quality of air remains ‘poor’

After recording the coldest January temperature since 2013 at 11.4 degrees Celsius on Friday, this week Mumbai is witnessing warm weather and high air pollution.

After recording the coldest January temperature since 2013 at 11.4 degrees Celsius on Friday, this week Mumbai is witnessing warm weather and high air pollution.

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The day temperature in the suburbs was recorded at 34 degrees Celsius, almost three degrees above normal, while south Mumbai recorded 31.5 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees above normal. The night temperature was close to the normal mark for Santacruz (17.6 degrees Celsius) and Colaba (19.3 degrees Celsius). The air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 207, falling in the ‘poor’ category on Monday. The city had recorded an AQI of 210 (poor) on Sunday.

“Temperatures have risen over the Konkan coast and parts of north Maharashtra as the wind pattern has shifted from cool northerly winds last week, to north-easterly to easterly winds that are much warmer,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director-general, western region, India Meteorological Department (IMD).

IMD forecasts a further rise in temperatures on Tuesday as the day and night temperatures were predicted at 33 and 18 degrees Celsius, respectively. Meanwhile, the concentration of PM2.5 (particulate matter of 2.5-micron size) was 91 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m3) on Thursday, against the safe limit of 60µg/m3. Concentration of PM10 ( coarser particles) was 174µg/m3 against the safe limit of 100 µg/m3.

On Monday, Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) was the most polluted area in the city at 289 (poor), while Bhandup had the cleanest air at 82 (satisfactory). An AQI of 188 (moderate) has been predicted for Tuesday. Experts said AQI is likely to improve with possibility of increase temperatures in the coming days.