Mumbai residents woke up to a notably chilly morning on Saturday after the city experienced its coldest night of the current winter season. The India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Santacruz observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 14.6 degrees Celsius, marking a significant dip of 3.4 degrees below the normal for this time of year.
A Decade of Winter Chills
This recent reading is not just a seasonal milestone but also a notable event in the city's recent climatic history. The 14.6°C recorded on Saturday stands as the second lowest night temperature during the winter season since 2018. Furthermore, it ranks as the third coldest night Mumbai has witnessed in the entire past decade.
To put this in perspective, the Santacruz observatory had previously recorded a slightly colder night of 14.4 degrees Celsius on December 28, 2018. The past decade's record for the lowest minimum temperature remains with December 24, 2015, when the mercury plunged to 11.4 degrees Celsius. Prior to Saturday's chill, this winter's lowest was 14.9°C on December 13.
IMD's Forecast: More Cool Nights Ahead
According to weather officials, Mumbaikars should brace for more cool nights in the immediate future. Sushma Nair, a scientist at IMD Mumbai, explained the prevailing conditions to The Indian Express. She stated that the current weather pattern is normal for the season.
"This is a normal weather phenomenon and at present, there is no probability of western disturbances, which is why the air flow and circulation will remain the same," Nair said. She added, "We can expect the temperature to stay on these lines for the next few days, which means that Mumbai’s city and suburbs will continue to experience colder nights."
Day Temperatures Show Contrast
While the nights turned cold, the daytime offered a stark contrast. On the same Saturday, the Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum (day) temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius, which was actually one degree above the normal. This highlights the significant diurnal temperature variation currently being experienced.
The weather story differed slightly in South Mumbai. The IMD's coastal observatory at Colaba recorded a day temperature of 32.2 degrees Celsius and a comparatively milder minimum night temperature of 20.1 degrees Celsius.
The sharp drop in night-time temperatures serves as a clear reminder of the winter season's grip on the maximum city, with meteorological conditions favoring clear skies and calm winds that facilitate radiative cooling after sunset.
