Mumbai feels the chill: At 15.8°C, it’s the lowest temperature so far this season

But with the drop in minimum temperatures, pollution levels increased on Thursday

The winter chill over the city intensified further on Thursday as the minimum temperature fell almost 3 degrees Celsius below normal.

Officials from the weather bureau said cool conditions in the city were likely to continue. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

The Santacruz weather station, representative of Mumbai and the suburbs, recorded 15.8 degrees Celsius, 2.9 degrees Celsius below normal, which was the lowest this season so far. Colaba, representative of south Mumbai, recorded 18.8 degrees Celsius, 2.1 degrees Celsius below normal.

Mumbai recorded 17.3 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature on Wednesday. Prior to this, 18 degrees Celsius was recorded on December 7 and 18.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. The lowest temperature, this year, however, was recorded on January 11 at 12.5 degrees Celsius.

Maximum temperatures marginally increased from previous days, as Santacruz recorded 28.7 degrees Celsius, 3.6 degrees Celsius below normal and Colaba recorded 28.5 degrees Celsius, 3.5 degrees Celsius below normal.

Officials from the weather bureau said cool conditions in the city were likely to continue. “The temperature dip can be attributed to dry and cool northerly to north-easterly winds from the northern parts of the country as a result of snowfall activity,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region, India Meteorological Department (IMD). “The current wind pattern can sustain this level of minimum temperature for one or two days.”

The weather bureau predicted a clear sky for Friday with day and night temperatures expected at 28 degrees Celsius and 17 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, with the drop in minimum temperatures, pollution levels increased on Thursday. The pollutant-measuring indicator – air quality index (AQI) increased from Wednesday’s ‘satisfactory’ level of 98 to 124 ‘moderate’ levels on Thursday. An AQI of 118 (moderate) has been predicted for Friday. Navi Mumbai had the most polluted air in the city with an AQI of 213 (poor).