Mercury dips, makes Mumbaikars sick

The unusual dip in temperature that came as a pleasant surprise to Mumbaikars is expected to continue for the next few of days, predicted officials from the Regional Meteorological Centre. And, the dip in temperatures is also a respite as the city had begun sweating under rising mercury levels. The minimum temperature on Thursday was 19°C.

The temperature has also seen a rise in cold-related illnesses. Bombay Hospital, Dr S Jayaram says, “Weather change is one of the reasons for the presence of viruses in the air.”

If the heavy snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir continues for the a few more days, the city will experience a further dip in the temperatures. “Snow in the north has resulted in chilly wind flowing towards Maharashtra and Gujarat,” said a duty officer of the Met department.

Weather officials said winds sweeping across various states are called northerly winds, which are usually cool and breezy and are caused due to snowfall. However, they said, compared to earlier years, there was no significant change. The dip may last till the weekend.