Experts attribute cold snap to influx of winds from northern belt
Worli is shrouded in haze on January 6. Pic/Ashish Raje
In sharp contrast to last week’s scorching heat, Mumbai woke up to a pronounced chill on Tuesday as minimum temperatures plunged nearly two degrees below normal. Data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) showed the Santacruz observatory recorded a minimum of 15.2 degrees C (1.8 degrees below normal), while the Colaba observatory registered 18.6 degrees C. Maximum temperatures also saw a significant dip, prompting meteorologists to predict that cold conditions will persist for the next two to three days.
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According to the IMD and private meteorologists, the ongoing cool spell will last until at least Thursday, before making way for another spike in both minimum and maximum temperatures. “These prevailing conditions will continue until January 10, with the temperature hovering between 14 to 15 degrees on January 8 and 9,” said climatologist Rajesh Kapadia from the private weather blog Vagaries of the Weather.
Friday marked Mumbai’s hottest day in January since 2016 when the Santacruz station logged 36 degrees. Following this, on Monday, the temperature marked a notable departure from Sunday’s 33 degrees maximum or daytime temperature; Santacruz recorded 30.3 degrees (one degree below normal), while Colaba clocked in at 28 degrees, about 2.6 degrees cooler than usual.
‘Typical conditions’
Experts attribute the current cold snap to the influx of northerly winds flowing down from the northern belt after a western disturbance brought snowfall to Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh last week. “This is the result of northerly winds blowing towards Mumbai,” confirmed Sunil Kamble, director of IMD Mumbai, noting that such conditions are typical of winter. He clarified, however, that these temperatures do not qualify as a cold wave. Kamble added that a rise in temperatures can be expected again after two days.
IMD’s forecast bulletin stated that Mumbai will continue to see below-normal temperatures through midweek, with suburban maximums likely to remain in the 31-to-32-degree range. After Thursday, temperatures are set to climb, with minimums expected to rise to around 19°C and maximums hovering around 33 to 34 degrees. This winter season, a minimum temperature of 13.7 degrees was recorded in the city on December 9. Historical data reveals that Mumbai’s coldest January day was recorded in 1962 at 7.4 degrees, while its warmest such day was recorded in 2006 at 37.4 degrees.
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