IMD forecast till January 24 indicates chill in air will persist; Meanwhile, cold wave conditions have been indicated by IMD for Pune and the ghats of Pune for Tuesday, with a yellow alert
The Bandra-Worli Sea Link is clearly visible on Monday, with smog levels reduced. PIC/SHADAB KHAN
Mumbai reported a temperature of 15.9°C on Monday with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting minimum temperatures in the range of 16°C-18°C until January 24, which is expected to be the coldest morning of the week. The IMD’s Colaba observatory on Monday reported a minimum temperature of 19°C — a departure of -0.1°C — while the Santacruz observatory reported temperatures of 15.9°C — a departure of -0.8°C from normal.
Meanwhile, cold wave conditions have been indicated by IMD for Pune and the ghats of Pune for Tuesday, with a yellow alert. This month has witnessed 15 days with the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) in the moderate category (yellow), after the initial plunge to green AQI days on January 1 and January 2. Between January 3 and January 17, Mumbai recorded AQI above 100, with the worst AQI reported on January 4, at 140; followed by 128 on January 7, and 124 on January 8. During this time, PM10 was the primary pollutant.
The smog cover in the city has reduced since Sunday. PIC/SHADAB KHAN
However, on Sunday, Mumbai’s AQI dropped back to the satisfactory category at 83, and on Monday, to 85, according to information from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). On both days, the primary pollutant was NO₂ (Nitrogen Dioxide), which mainly is a result of vehicle combustion.
This winter vs the last
Throughout the winter months of December 2025 and January 2026, Mumbai has recorded only six green days — four in January and two in December. In comparison, the entire winter last season recorded no green days. In December 2024 and January 2025, Mumbai recorded AQI in the moderate category on all 62 days, mostly due to PM10 and ozone, which result in visible smog in the air. The worst AQI of the last season was on December 18 at 199, followed by 198 on December 19, both in the moderate category.
Rain brought relief
On January 1 this year, Mumbai recorded moderate rainfall, which improved the air quality of the city as it entered the new year. The Colaba weather station of the IMD recorded 9 mm of rain, while the Santacruz weather station recorded 7 mm. While on December 31, 2025, Mumbai had an AQI of 130, on January 1, this improved to 90. According to data from the CPCB, the AQI further improved to 79 on January 2.
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