Mumbai to experience a chill as temperature expected to dip

A trough from Punjab is adding a lot of moisture to the city air, causing the temperature to drop, said weather officials. Pic/Sameer Markande

For Mumbai, the first few days of 2021 have been cold, cloudy, with a sprinkling of rain in isolated pockets, a phenomenon that the weathermen have described as a 'mini winter'.

The Indian Meteorological Department had reported overcast skies in several places in Maharashtra and Goa on January 3, while it said few areas in Mumbai saw patchy drizzle in the early hours of Monday.

"For the next 3-4 days, as per the IMD GFS guidance, there is the possibility of lowering of temperatures in the city. But it won't be severe. A mini clip of winter!," said the department.

Speaking to mid-day, KS Hosalikar, deputy director of IMD, said: "There were traces of rainfall recorded in the early morning of January 4 in Mumbai. A trace is a very light drizzle…something that is seen, but not measurable. Mumbai recorded traces of rainfall on Monday morning as well as Sunday night in isolated pockets, including at the Santacruz and Dahanu observatories." This has led to the cold weather in the city, he said.

A trough from Punjab has reached the Arabian Sea and it is adding a lot of moisture to the city air, explained the official, adding that January rain is not entirely uncommon in Mumbai.

Of the chill in the air, he said, "We are expecting the temperature to slightly drop over the next 48 hours (Tuesday-Wednesday) in Maharashtra. Mumbai may touch 16 degrees Celsius, while Nashik and Pune may reach up to 14 degrees. However, since we expect rainfall from January 6-7, the temperature will increase after these days."