IMD says current warm weather after a couple of cool weeks is owing to easterly and south easterly winds from systems in Bay of Bengal; Mumbai on Tuesday recorded humidity of 66 per cent and relatively low wind speed, at 13 kmph
The sun pierces through a blanket of smog over the city skyline onTuesday. PIC/SHADAB KHAN
Mumbai has lost its coolness, with the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory on Tuesday recording a temperature of 21.9 degrees C, a departure of 1.3 degrees C from normal, and its Colaba counterpart reporting 23.9 degrees C, a departure of 0.8 degrees C from the norm.
The chill in the air experienced by Mumbaikars past week, when temperatures dipped to lower than 17 degrees C, as much as 4 degrees C below normal, has passed this week. Over the past two days, Mumbaikars have experienced warm and humid weather conditions. A senior IMD official said, “The temperature change is because of a change in wind patterns. We are now experiencing easterly and south easterly winds from the systems in the Bay of Bengal. This leads to more humid weather conditions.”
The city skyline is shrouded in smog on Tuesday. Pic/Shadab Khan
Mumbai on Tuesday recorded humidity of 66 per cent and relatively low wind speed, at 13 kmph. During the night over the past two days, wind speed in Mumbai has been as low as 1 kmph. For reference, in comparison to monsoon wind speed, which goes up to 40 to 60 kmph, according to IMD's data.
Air quality dip
Despite the settling of cooler temperatures, AQI in Mumbai worsened over the past three days. Mumbai reported an AQI of 174 on Tuesday, in comparison to 150-160 last week, according to the data from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. The IMD has attributed this to wind patterns, while dismissing the impact of the eruption of Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia on Mumbai’s AQI.
Volcanic ash cleared
A senior official from the IMD’s Regional Meteorological Centre said, “The IMD has issued a statement that the volcanic ash blowing towards India cleared between 7.30 pm and 8 pm on Tuesday. It impacted northern states, including Delhi, Rajasthan, and Haryana, more. Mumbai’s AQI is not related to the volcanic ash.” Regarding how long the current temperature pattern is likely to last, an IMD official said Mumbai will be in a wait-and-watch situation for wind patterns to change.
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