Mumbai weather updates: At 16.5 degrees, city experiences coldest November night, IMD says more to follow

Wadala residents trying to keep themselves warm on a cold Friday morning. Pic/Atul Kamble

The city woke up to a chilly Friday morning as temperatures dipped to the lowest this season. The Indian Meteorological Department's (IMD) Santacruz weather observatory recorded the coldest night of the season on November 29, with temperatures dropping to 16.5°C.

While this marks the lowest temperature for November since 2016, when Santacruz recorded 16.3°C, it is not the coldest ever. The station had previously recorded a frigid 13.3°C on November 19, 1950.

IMD's Colaba observatory recorded 21.4°C. "The significant drop in temperatures across the city can be attributed to snowfall in northern regions, which has brought dry, cold winds to the city," explained climatologist Rajesh Kapadia of Vagaries of Weather, a private weather blog.

The chill wasn't confined to Mumbai. Other parts of Maharashtra also recorded sharp drops in temperatures. Ahmednagar reported 8.3°C, a drop of 5.9°C below normal, while Sangli's AWS (Automated Weather Station) recorded 8.4°C. Pune registered 9.5°C, its coldest November temperature since 2016, when it hit 9.3°C. However, Pune's coldest-ever November reading was 4.6°C on November 27, 1964.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) also felt the chill, with temperatures falling to 10.6°C. The coldest November temperature ever recorded in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar was 1.9°C on November 30, 1970. Meanwhile, Mahabaleshwar, a popular hill station, recorded 10.5°C. Jeur, however, emerged as the coldest spot in Maharashtra on November 29, with a low of 6.0°C - 6.6°C below the normal temperature.

Cold city nights to persist

Weather experts and IMD officials predict the northern winds will continue to bring cold spells across the state, with chilly nights persisting for now.
According to IMD's latest forecast, Mumbai's minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 15-16°C until November 30. Starting December 1, the mercury is likely to rise slightly to 18-20°C.

Speaking to mid-day, Sushma Nair, a scientist at IMD's Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) Mumbai, said, "The dip in temperatures witnessed on Friday morning will persist until November 30. From December 1, minimum temperatures will rise to around 18-19°C and eventually up to 20°C."
However, Nair noted that daytime temperatures will remain stable in the coming days. Maximum temperatures are expected to fluctuate between 32-33°C throughout the next week.

9.5°C
Temperature recorded
in Pune