Mumbai: City to stay warm till first week of January

Many districts in the state, along with Mumbai, have been experiencing high temperatures during December. File pic

As December draws to a close, the maximum and minimum temperatures in Mumbai remain above normal, resulting in an atypical winter that is not cold. Meteorologists predict that this "warm winter" is likely to persist at least until the first week of January. December temperatures remained unusually warm for this time of the year, with maximum temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius in several districts including Mumbai and Thane. The state experienced warm southeasterly winds and dry weather, said officials from the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Regional Meteorological Centre, Mumbai.

"The city will encounter temperatures ranging between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius in the next few days. Mumbaikars can expect a chill in the air after New Year's Eve, with temperatures expected to drop to nearly 16 degrees," an IMD official said. Explaining the weather system, Rajesh Kapadia, from Vagaries of the Weather, a private weather blog, said, "Mumbai is facing a ‘warm winter' this year, which is atypical for December. It has been a hot start to winter, with temperatures consistently above normal. Temperatures have been averaging around three degrees above normal."

Kapadia added, "Since December 3 this year, Mumbai has seen day temperatures above 33 degrees Celsius (2-3 degrees above normal on all days as of December 28). The highest temperature recorded this month was 35.7 degrees (four degrees above normal) on December 27. The nights have averaged 21-22 degrees in December, around four degrees above normal. The coolest day this year was December 24 at 18.9 degrees."

Recalling previous warm winter months for Mumbai, Kapadia said, "Though the high temperature is atypical, Mumbai has had much warmer Decembers in the past. Once, on December 4, 1987, the day temperature was 39.8 degrees. The monthly warmth recorded that year was four degrees above normal. In 1990, the temperature averaged six degrees above normal."

‘Anticyclone' system

"Normally for Mumbai, winter starts with cold winds blowing from the North. They are generated from a western disturbance system in the northern plains and the Himalayas. But this year, an ‘anticyclone' system in central India blocked the cold winds and brought easterly and southeasterly winds, which are dry and warm," explained Kapadia. Kapadia said, "A western disturbance system can approach Northern India around January 4, 2024. Mumbai can then get some pleasant weather after January 7, and cooler temperatures of 16-17 degress can be expected. Temperatures in the outer townships of Mumbai and MMR are likely to drop to 15 degrees."

Warm winds for 4-5 days

Talking about the warm winter, a meteorologist from Skymet Weather, a private weather forecasting agency, said, "We are in the last week of December and still, there is no sign of a winter chill over Mumbai and the suburbs. Minimum temperatures as well as maximum temperatures are above normal. In fact, day temperatures are in the mid-thirties. The temperatures are not expected to drop anytime soon as southeasterly warm winds will continue for at least the next four to five days."

"A trough is persisting over Central Maharashtra and adjoining parts of the Konkan and Goa. Although this trough is not capable of resulting in any weather activity, it is not allowing cold winds to reach Mumbai. There are chances of light scattered rain over parts of Central Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Marathwada around January 2 and 3, 2024. After this weather activity, the wind direction is expected to change from southeast to north and northeast, leading to a drop in temperatures in Mumbai and its suburbs. Mumbaikars are likely to experience winter chills in the first week of January," explained Skymet
Weather on its website.

3°C
Average departure beyond normal temperature