This year could be one of the coldest in Mumbai, after 2005 when the temperatures had dropped to 11.5 degrees Celsius. In comparison, last year saw a rather warm winter at approximately 15 degrees, K Sathi Devi, director of IMD Mumbai, said. She added, “We are forecasting a steady 12 degrees for tomorrow but if the current weather conditions prevail, it is quite possible that the temperature goes further down in the coming few days.”

Sathi Devi explained that western disturbances or actions in the system of winds moving at different levels usually occur in the north. This movement influences regions like Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and sometimes even as far as Gujarat and often causes weather swings, snowfall and rain between November and January.

“When these western disturbances are approaching the northern plane, the weather starts warming, but when they moves out, there is a steep drop in the temperature. A rather weak system had just approached the north and is now moving out. This movement has sent a cold wave,” she said. Northern winds blowing directly down to the city currently has caused a dip, she pointed out. Significantly, Mumbai’s maximum temperature has also dropped to 27.5 degrees Celsius, as recorded on Wednesday afternoon at 5.30 pm. On Tuesday, it was 28 degrees Celsius in Santa Cruz.