Mumbai records lowest February temperatures in 10 years over the weekend; mercury expected to rise from Monday

Mumbai recorded the lowest February temperatures in at least a decade on Friday and Saturday as maximum temperatures in most parts of the city dropped to 24°Celsius. The coldest February day was last recorded in 2014 at 26.3°Celsius, reports said.The lowest minimum temperature on Saturday morning was 11°Celsius, which, according to Skymet Weather isthe lowest the city has recorded in at least seven years. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had also predicted that the minimum temperature would drop to 13°Celsius on Saturday.[caption id="attachment_5521481" align="alignleft" width="380"]

Representational image. ANI[/caption]On Friday, the maximum temperatures recorded at the Santacruz and Colaba regional meteorological centres were at 24.2°Celsius and 24.5°Celsius, respectively. Both were at least 6°Celsius below normal, The Times of India reported.IMD said the nip in the air is likely to last through the weekend. Shubhangi Bhute, an IMD scientist, was quoted as saying: "There is a cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan and adjoining Gujarat, which has become less marked. But winds are northerly to north-westerly and are strong, too. Besides, there is a western disturbance that is very active, leading to maximum and minimum temperatures dipping."However, Skymet Weather reported that the cool northwesterly winds are likely to be replaced by warm winds from the east or southeast direction, which will lead to a spike in Mumbai temperatures from Monday.The temperature in the city early on Friday morning was 14°Celsius, which was four degrees below normal. Incidentally, the city saw a rise in maximum temperatures on 4 February, with the highest recorded at 35°Celsius.Mumbai was the fourth coldest city in Maharashtra on Friday, after Dahanu in Palghar (22.2°Celsius), Nashik (23.2°Celsius) and Buldhana (24°Celsius), reports said. The Hindustan Times reported, "The cool conditions, however, paved the way for a rise in pollution levels. The air quality index, which was in the 'moderate' category over the past three days, recorded 217 (poor) on Friday, according to the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research."