Mumbai’s mercury takes a dip: Why financial capital is witnessing cold and foggy conditions

A passage of a western disturbance and a dust storm originating in Balochistan has led to temperatures dipping to almost 14 degrees Celsius. On Monday, the air pollution levels were at a record high of 436 AQI

FP Staff January 25, 2022 09:57:20 IST
Mumbai’s mercury takes a dip: Why financial capital is witnessing cold and foggy conditions

Image used for representational purposes. PTI

Mumbai has been reeling from unexpected cold conditions for the past two days, leading residents to bring out their woollies.

Here’s a look at what’s happening in the financial capital.

On Sunday, the city recorded a temperature of 23.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest maximum temperature this decade. This was 8 degrees Celsius below normal. It is the second instance this month when the city recorded the lowest daytime temperature.

Similarly, the nighttime minimum temperatures have also dipped, sending the mercury down to as low as 14 degrees Celsius.

This morning, the temperatures dipped to 17 degrees Celsius.

Officials in the India Meteorological Department explaining the situation said that the passage of a western disturbance, and an induced cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan were reasons contributing to the weather conditions in the financial capital.

The added that these weather systems will draw moisture from the Arabian Sea and cause widespread, though mild, showers across parts of North and Central India and over parts of the Konkan and Northern Madhya Maharashtra.

IMD official K S Hosalikar on Twitter predicted another cold day in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Dust storm sweeps across Mumbai

If the cold conditions weren’t enough, Mumbaikars also had to grapple with foggy and hazy conditions on Monday owing to a ‘dust storm’.

Independent meteorologist Akshay Deoras was quoted as saying to Hindustan Times, “A prominent dust event is affecting parts of Maharashtra (including Mumbai-MMR), Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. This dust event has been triggered by a recent western disturbance, which is also causing the ongoing dip in Mumbai’s temperature.”

IMD experts said that a dust storm originating in the Gulf area and Karachi, Pakistan, towards Rajasthan and neighbouring Gujarat, coupled with warmer temperatures in areas along the Arabian sea including Mumbai has led to sand particles entering and polluting the air.

This dust storm caused air pollution levels to spike; on Monday morning, Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to a whopping 502, as per the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). An AQI of more than 500 indicates ‘severe-plus’ or hazardous pollution levels and can have profound health implications. The air quality is likely to remain ‘severe’ at least till Tuesday.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded a maximum of 500 AQI at the monitoring station at Mazgaon in South Mumbai, followed by Navi Nagar in Colaba and terminal 2 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The average AQI of all 16 CPCB monitoring stations in Mumbai also stood at a ‘severe’ level of 405 at 11 am on Monday.

In the evening, the suburban area of Malad, recorded the worst AQI at 436. Chembur recorded an AQI of 347, Andheri - 340, Bhandup - 336, Mazgaon - 372, Worli - 319, BKC - 307, Colaba -221, Borivli -162 and Navi Mumbai 101.

Other parts of Maharashtra also affected

Other parts of the Western state also witnessed poor weather conditions. Mahabaleshwar’s maximum temperature was 18.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 8.3 degrees below normal. Likewise, Pune recorded 24.3 degrees Celsius, 6.1 degrees below normal.

#mumbaiwinter trends

And with the temperatures dropping, the issue quickly became a trending topic with netizens going crazy.

One netizen wrote, “Stop making fun of #mumbaiwinter. People who stay either in 40 degrees for 6 months or constant rain for 5 months, are bound to feel cold at 20 degrees.”

Another wrote, “Why is the temperature being a teen in Mumbai? I'm waiting for it to grow up to my age to be friends with it.”

The dip in temperatures also invited a tonne of memes and the longstanding debate between Delhi and Mumbai.

As on Twitter user posted:

Another posted:

IMD officials have said that Mumbaikars will get respite from the cold conditions starting after Wednesday. Till then, Twitter is bound to be abuzz.

With inputs from agencies

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