AQI Worsens Even as Mumbai Enjoys Cooler Temperatures | Mumbai News
Mumbai: Even as Mumbai continued to wake up to cooler mornings with minimum temperatures staying below the 20-degree mark, the city’s air quality deteriorated sharply on Sunday. The overall air quality index (AQI) rose to 136, slipping from a ‘satisfactory’ 86 on Christmas Eve (December 24) and worsening steadily over the past few days, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast a further dip in night temperatures in the coming week.According to the IMD, the Santacruz observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 17.2 degrees Celsius, close to normal for this time of the year, while Colaba reported a minimum of 20.4 degrees Celsius, also around the seasonal average. Mulund recorded the worst air quality in the city with an AQI of 157, followed by Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) at 151, both in the ‘moderate’ category.The drop in night temperatures has brought much-needed relief, with residents experiencing pleasant mornings and evenings across the city. Daytime conditions, however, have remained relatively high, with maximum temperatures hovering around 32 degrees Celsius. In its forecast for the coming week, the IMD has indicated that minimum temperatures are likely to dip further, touching around 16 degrees Celsius by January 3. Maximum temperatures are also expected to ease slightly, settling near the 30-degree mark.Weather officials have also predicted cloudy skies over Mumbai for the next few days. The stable weather conditions are likely to persist as the city transitions into the first week of the new year, the IMD said.
