MUCH to the delight of many, chill returned to the city on Friday with gusty winds and a significant dip in temperature. For the first time in a decade, the maximum temperature recorded in February dropped to 24.2 degrees Celsius, almost 7 degrees below the normal average. The lowest maximum temperature recorded in the last 10 years was on February 16, 2014, at 26.3 degrees Celsius.
On Friday, the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 24.2 degrees Celsius, 6.9 degrees below normal. Colaba recorded a maximum of 24.5 degrees Celsius, 5.4 degrees below normal. On Friday, the minimum temperature recorded at Santacruz was 14.4 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal. The minimum temperature on Thursday was 17.6 degrees Celsius. Colaba station recorded a minimum of 17.6 degrees Celsius on Friday.
Not new
“The northern part of the country has witnessed snow, rains and hailstorms over five days and the northerly winds are directly over the coastal area, which is the reason for the drop in the temperature. We can expect similar temperature on Saturday. From Sunday, the temperature is likely to rise,” said K S Hosalikar, deputy director general, IMD.
On Friday, many were seen enjoying the chill at Nariman Point, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra, and Andheri. “I am here for two years now. I have never switched off the fan and pulled out blankets. But on Thursday, I did,” said Priyanka Sharma from Andheri.
