Mumbai in winter’s grip; the cold statistics say it all

Dr SP Mathew has shuttered the windows of his house, but he isn't complaining. “It has been quite cold for the last three days. But we are enjoying this nip in the air. It offers us the rare occasion to bring out our winter wear,” says the Borivli resident with a twinkle in his eye.

The mercury dropped to a whole new low on Sunday when Mumbai registered the third lowest winter day of the decade as well as the lowest of this season. The maximum and minimum temperatures for the island city fell 3°C below normal on an average to 27°C and 16.1°C, respectively. The suburbs recorded a sharper drop, with the minimum temperature falling 6.8°C below normal to 10.4°C.

The temperature of 10.4°C is the third lowest minimum in a decade, pipped only by 10°C in January last year and 10.2°C in January 2008.

"Cold northerly winds will continue to blow [over Maharashtra] for a day or two more,” says VK Rajeev, director, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai.

Maharashtra isn't alone. North India continued to freeze with at least 16 more dying in Uttar Pradesh. Elsewhere in the world, southern China will be hit by a new cold front this week, extending the country’s chilliest winter in 28 years.