Mumbai: Temperatures likely to spike, may dip only in Feb, says IMD

Sunil Kamble from IMD Mumbai said that the city is experiencing a rise in mercury levels, owing to a change in the wind patterns, triggered by an anti-cyclonic development.

Kamble said, “There is an anti-cyclonic development because of which we are receiving south-easterly winds. The temperatures are expected to soar with the maximum temperatures hovering between 34 and 35 degrees because of this change in wind directions. The temperatures are likely to stay in this range till the onset of February at least.”

While this drop and rise in temperatures is a typical winter phenomenon, Mumbai is experiencing a typically warmer winter this year. For perspective, on January 12, Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius, making it its warmest January day in the past seven years.

On the question of a drop in temperatures, Sushma Nair, scientist from IMD Mumbai, said, “The temperatures, while high now, will start dropping gradually. A couple of days into February, we are expecting the temperatures to drop to the pleasant and low temperatures recording last week. We can also expect the day temperatures to fall below 30 degrees.”

Besides the anti-cyclonic development, Mahesh Palawat from Skymet Weather Services attributed the current rise to the ongoing snowfall spell in the northern regions, including Kashmir.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Palawat said, “Owing to the western disturbances, the northern region is experiencing snowfall. Once these clear, the northerly winds will gush in. The western disturbances are here to stay till February 5 at least so once they start moving, the temperatures will fall.”