Night temperatures may drop by 5°C to 6°C, making city’s climate pleasant, thanks to cool winds from north India which is witnessing a rain system
Day temperatures in the past few weeks have been above normal at 36°C. Pic/Sameer Markande
Expect colder nights in Mumbai as minimum temperatures are projected to drop over the weekend by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). From November 17, temperatures may dip to 20°C and further still post November 18. The lower temperatures will bring relief from the extended October heat being experienced by Mumbaikars where temperatures have been surpassing 36°C.
ADVERTISEMENT
“There is no indication of an impending cold wave anytime soon. Typically, we declare a cold wave in December when temperatures fall beyond 15°C. Mumbai has endured the October heat for long, now the temperature will dip slightly, bringing relief this weekend,” said an IMD official.
Earlier, meteorologists indicated that the actual onset of winter in the city is not expected anytime before Diwali. “Mumbai has been through hot days and warm nights as soon as the rains stopped. Day temperatures have been above normal at 36°C for almost the past 23 days, and nights have been far warmer at 25/26°C. From October 16, Mumbai has been witnessing hot weather ranging around 35-36°C every day,” said climatologist Rajesh Kapadia of the weather blog, Vagaries of the Weather. The highest-ever recorded temperature in October was 38.6°C on October 17, 2015.
Explaining the phenomenon Kapadia said, “Starting on November 17, temperatures will go down to 20°C with the actual winter feel. From November 18, it is expected to drop to 18-20°C. As the warm east winds (from interior Maharashtra) give way to the cooler northerly winds, the city will cool down by 5-6°C at night. Helped by a rain system crossing north India, the city will see pleasantly better climate.”
AQI on Thursday
On the other hand, the overall AQI of the city was in the moderate category on Thursday, with a value of 169. Many places recorded AQIs in the poor category. BKC was at 245, Bandra Kherwadi at 253, Byculla at 203, Kandivli East at 218, Kandivli West at 217, Malad West at 236, and Shivaji Nagar at 231.