Sunday second coldest day of this December; further dip expected in 24 next hours

After a week-long wait for low temperatures and an interim bout of sudden thundershowers, the weather in Mumbai has yet again become cooler. Santa Cruz recorded a minimum temperature of 16.8 degree Celsius on Sunday, which made the day the second coldest day of the month after December 7 when 16.5 degree Celsius was recorded. The maximum temperature on Sunday was 29.8 degree Celsius.

Earlier this week on December 10, temperatures had soared to 33.7 degree Celsius. As compared to that, the low temperatures recorded on Sunday come as a respite.

While the humidity in the day remained around 81%, it dropped to 37% in the evening. The weather on Sunday was sunny, pleasant and dry. The sky had cleared and was cloudless following the previous night's rainfall.
The Regional India Meteorological Department (IMD) in the city has predicted that the minimum temperature will further plummet to 15 degree Celsius in the next 24 hours.

Mumbai had witnessed an all-time low of 10.6 degree Celsius on December 20, 1949, a record of the coldest December day that remains unbroken to date. Also in 2005, the coldest temperature in the past seven years was recorded at 11.6 degree Celsius.

A Met official said since Sunday, the wind pattern in Mumbai had changed from northeasterly to northerly. "Cold, dry winds are blowing over the land from the north of India. There is less moisture in the northerly winds and, therefore, humidity has dropped substantially, making the weather pleasant and dry." South Mumbai recorded higher temperatures as compared to Santa Cruz on Sunday. In Colaba, the maximum temperature was recorded at 28 degree Celsius, while minimum stood at 20.6 degree Celsius.