Cold wave flag raised in city

MUMBAI: Believe it or not, the weather bureau has issued a cold wave warning in the city. The warning came after the temperature dipped on Friday to a bone-chilling 8.5ºC, a good 7º below normal. This is the lowest temperature ever recorded in the city in the month of February.

But it wasn’t so much the minimum temperature that alarmed the weather bureau. It was the maximum temperature of 23.2ºC recorded on Friday, a huge 9º below normal.

Chilly winds blowing through the city added to the woes. The wind velocity in the city till 6pm on Friday was 8-9kph at Colaba and 18-25kph at Santa Cruz.

The extended winter in North India  has affected the city’s weather, K Sathidevi, director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, said. She said there is unlikely to be a respite from the cold soon. For the next two days too, the bureau has forecast a minimum of 9ºC and a maximum of 24ºC. “We have issued the warning so that people take adequate care.”

Other parts of Maharashtra are also reeling under severe cold with the mercury dipping to 4.6ºC in Nashik, 7.7ºC in Pune, 7.3ºC in Aurangabad, 6.5ºC in Mahabaleshwar and 10.2ºC in Kolhapur.