Mumbai experienced an unusual spell of rain on New Year’s Day, with downpours hitting areas including Sion and Wadala, taking many residents by surprise. Other parts of the city, such as Borivli, Andheri, Bandra, Mahim, Vasai, and Thane, also recorded rainfall during the morning hours
The city's air quality index (AQI) stands at 104. PIC/ ATUL KAMBLE
The New Year 2026 began on a rainy note for Mumbaikars, as several parts of the city witnessed heavy showers on Thursday morning.
Instead of welcoming the year with the first rays of sunshine, much of Mumbai, particularly the island city, was greeted by rain.
The showers began around 5 a.m., with some areas experiencing intense rainfall, while others saw only light drizzle. The rain gradually eased after 6:15 a.m.
The downpour hit areas including Sion and Wadala, taking many residents by surprise. Other parts of the city, such as Borivli, Andheri, Bandra, Mahim, Vasai, and Thane, also recorded rainfall during the morning hours.
While the rain caused minor inconvenience in some pockets, the light showers helped reduce pollution levels, offering brief relief from the city’s otherwise hazy air, as Mumbai rang in the New Year under cloudy skies.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai, the minimum temperature recorded at Colaba was 19.2 degrees Celsius, with 9.2 mm of rainfall. At Santacruz, the minimum temperature was 19.5 degrees Celsius, accompanied by 6.7 mm of rainfall.
As per the Sameer app, the city's air quality index (AQI) stands at 104, which falls under the moderate category. This level may cause breathing discomfort for people with lung disorders, asthma, or heart conditions.
AQI readings across the city are as follows:
Bandra Kurla Complex: 114
Borivali: 103
Byculla: 129
Andheri: 110
Chembur: 94
Deonar: 124
Ghatkopar: 93
Delhi rings in New Year with chilly weather, 'very poor' air; light rain likely
Chilly and cloudy conditions marked the New Year in the national capital on Thursday, with the minimum temperature settling at 10.6 degrees Celsius. The Met office also predicted light rainfall during the day.
According to the IMD, trace rainfall was recorded at Palam early Thursday. Station-wise data at 8:30 a.m. showed minimum temperatures of 10.6 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung, 9 degrees Celsius at Palam, 10 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road, 9.9 degrees Celsius at the Ridge, and 10.3 degrees Celsius at Ayanagar.
Delhi ended 2025 on a biting note, recording its coldest December day in six years on Wednesday, with the maximum temperature plunging to 14.2 degrees Celsius. The previous record low maximum was on December 31, 2019, when it dipped to 9.4 degrees Celsius.
On Wednesday, the maximum temperature of 14.2 degrees Celsius was around 6.2 degrees below normal—the lowest of the season—while the minimum stood at 6.4 degrees Celsius, slightly below the seasonal average. From January 3, colder conditions may develop as minimum temperatures are expected to drop further, with cold northerly winds from the Himalayan region moving towards the capital.
Shallow fog was observed across Delhi on Thursday morning. Palam and Safdarjung recorded visibility of 500 metres at around 7:30 a.m., the IMD said.
Meanwhile, the city’s air quality remained in the 'very poor' category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 10 a.m. stood at 371. Data from the CPCB’s SAMEER app showed that 28 stations recorded very poor air quality, while eight stations were in the severe category, with Sonia Vihar recording the worst AQI at 420.
(With PTI inputs)
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