Mumbai woke up on Friday to an unusually cool and pleasant morning, offering residents a brief respite from the city’s typically warm and humid conditions.
Minimum temperatures dropped below 22 degrees Celsius, giving early risers clear skies, light winds and a mild winter-like nip rarely felt in the city during this time of year.
However, the refreshing weather came with a stark contrast. A thin but persistent layer of smog hung over the skyline, reducing visibility and dulling the otherwise tranquil morning. Despite the gentle breeze, pollution levels remained elevated, continuing a trend seen throughout the month.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), clear skies are expected to prevail through the day, with maximum temperatures likely to rise to around 34 degrees Celsius by the afternoon.
Data from the IMD observatories highlighted distinct variations across the city. In Colaba, the minimum temperature was recorded at 22.4 degrees Celsius with relative humidity touching 64 per cent. Meanwhile, the Santacruz observatory registered a much cooler minimum of 17.4 degrees Celsius and humidity levels around 60 per cent, reflecting the typical microclimatic differences between South Mumbai and the suburbs.
Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 143 on Friday morning, placing it in the “moderate” category. This reflects a significant deterioration from earlier this month, when the city recorded moderate air quality. Several localities—particularly industrial belts and densely populated areas—reported even higher pollution levels, underscoring the city’s ongoing environmental challenges.
Meanwhile, Delhi`s air quality improved slightly on Friday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 370 at 8 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The city had recorded an AQI of 391 at 4 pm on November 20. Despite the slight improvement, the city`s air quality continued to remain in the ` very poor` category.
According to CPCB data, IGI Airport T3 recorded an AQI of 307, while ITO recorded 378. The Air Quality Index at Punjabi Bagh stood at 379.
Other areas, such as Najafgarh (350), North Campus DU (385), Aya Nagar (340), and CRRI Mathura Road (370), also continued to experience very poor air quality.
However, air quality in some parts of the National Capital was in the `severe` category. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 418, while Ashok Vihar reported 411. Rohini and RK Puram registered an AQI of 424 and 401, respectively.
According to AQI categorisation, 0-50 is `good`, 51-100 `satisfactory`, 101-200 `moderate`, 201-300 `poor`, 301-400 `very poor`, and 401-500 `severe`.
