Respite for Mumbai as IMD predicts pleasant week for city, light showers

On Monday, the IMD’s Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 34.4 degrees while the Colaba coastal observatory logged 32.5 degrees Celsius.

This marked a significant drop from the early last week when the temperatures had soared up to 39.2 degrees Celsius — the city’s warmest March day since 2023 — during a prolonged period of heatwave.

Scientists have attributed the current dip in temperatures to the influx of strong westerlies.

Sushma Nair, scientist from IMD Mumbai, told The Indian Express, “Mumbai has seen a drop in temperatures and pleasant weather over the weekend owing to the westerly winds. The temperatures are likely to remain in the similar range for the next 4 – 5 days at least.”

Meanwhile, responding to questions about the forecast of cloudy skies, Nair said, “Currently, there is a trough stretching from North Chhattisgarh to Vidarbha, which will result in cloudy skies in the region.”

In light of the trough over Vidarbha, the IMD has issued yellow warning of thunderstorms coupled with light showers in several districts of the region between March 20 and Friday March 21.

However, rainfall is likely to elude Mumbai, maintained scientists.

In what ushered in further respite for citizens, the air quality in Mumbai improved to the satisfactory levels with the overall air quality index (AQI) touching 97 on Monday evening.

Of the city’s 21 stations, at least 13 stations recorded AQI in the satisfactory category between 50 – 100.

The best AQI was recorded in Borivali East at 78, followed by Ghatkopar (80). Meanwhile, the worst air quality was observed in Chakala where the monitoring station logged an AQI of 137.