Wednesday was the coldest January day in Mumbai since 2014

The lowest January maximum temperature between 2016 and 2018 was 27.8 degrees Celsius and the lowest for the decade was recorded on January 12, 2014, at 26 degrees Celsius.

The city recorded its lowest maximum temperature for January since 2014 on Wednesday and third lowest for the month in 10 years. Cool winds in the city also led to an improvement in the city’s air quality index (AQI) at 110 (moderate), which was the cleanest since December 30.

Cool winds in the city also led to an improvement in the city’s air quality index (AQI) at 110 (moderate), which was the cleanest since December 30. (Vijayanand Gupta/HT Photo)

Santacruz recorded 27.2 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degree Celsius below normal while Colaba recorded 27 degrees Celsius, 2.5 degree Celsius below normal. At night, while Colaba recorded 21 degrees Celsius, almost 2 degree Celsius above normal, Santacruz recorded 19.2 degrees Celsius, 2.3 degree Celsius above normal.

The lowest January maximum temperature between 2016 and 2018 was 27.8 degrees Celsius and the lowest for the decade was recorded on January 12, 2014, at 26 degrees Celsius.

The weather bureau said cool winds brought down temperatures in the city. “The confluence between westerly and easterly winds over parts of central India has allowed cool winds over the city. The western disturbance over north India is further aggravating cool conditions with a rise wind speed. Above normal night temperature is due to partly cloudy conditions in the evening and night,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region, India Meteorological Department.

“Rise in wind speed has also allowed dispersion of pollutants from the city’s surface allowing an improvement in air quality,” he said.

Air quality improved on Wednesday with an AQI level of 110 (moderate) during the day, which increased to 119 (moderate) by the evening.

This is the cleanest air quality since December 30 when the city had recorded an AQI of 179 (moderate).

Locations like BKC and Andheri which had been recording ‘very poor’ air quality since December 30, witnessed ‘poor’ AQI levels on Wednesday, while AQI at other locations was either in the ‘moderate’ or ‘satisfactory’ categories. Worli recorded the cleanest air in the city with an AQI of 44 (good).

For Thursday, the weather bureau has predicted an AQI of 150 (moderate) and a partly cloudy sky with day and night temperatures at 29 and 18 degrees Celsius.