After the city saw its coldest night in seven years on Saturday, the minimum temperature improved slightly on Sunday night at 12.4 degrees Celsius. However, the day was relatively warmer at 32.3 degrees, as forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Days are expected to stay warmer throughout the week.
In Mumbai, maximum temperatures have been dipping since February 4, going from 35.3 degrees to 27.3 degrees by February 7. On Thursday night, the minimum temperature stayed at 17.6 degrees (normal). But on Friday, the city set a record of the lowest maximum February temperature in a decade at 24.2 degrees. This was a good 7 degrees below normal.
While the highest maximum temperature for February has even touched 39.6 degrees, the lowest maximum has never been this low in a decade. The closest it came was at 26.3 degrees in 2014.
Friday’s minimum temperature was also 3 degrees below normal, halting at 14.4 degrees. The all-time record for the lowest minimum February temperature was 8.5 degrees on February 8, 2008.
On Saturday night, the mercury dropped to 11 degrees to become the lowest minimum February temperature since 2012, and the second lowest in a decade. People took to social media to express surprise over an unusually cold Mumbai weather. But Saturday’s maximum temperature hit 30 degrees, 5 degrees warmer than Friday.
On Sunday, the minimum temperature improved slightly, to stay at 12.4 degrees. This is still 5 degrees below normal. The IMD has attributed the dip in the minimum temperature to the northerly and north-westerly winds. The maximum temperature hit 32.3 degrees, only a degree more than normal. The IMD had predicted on Friday that days would begin to get warmer.
The weatherman has now forecast a similar daytime temperature for the next four days while the minimum temperature will be between 14 and 16 degrees Celsius.
