While forecasting that January will remain chilly, K Sathi Devi, regional director of IMD, said that “the winds are slowly changing”. “North India is experiencing a cold wave now, and Mumbai was under its influence with the northerly winds blowing into the city. But the wind direction has already begun to change. Today, it moved slightly east-north-east. In the coming days, there will be gradual diversion,” she explained.

On January 2, the city’s suburbs recorded an all time low minimum temperature of 12.2 degrees Celsius. It rose slightly on Thursday (January 3) at 13.6 degree Celsius. Friday (January 4) recorded a maximum temperature of 28 and 29.3 degrees, and a minimum of 17.9 and 14 degrees in Colaba and Santa Cruz respectively. Sathi Devi pointed out the winter weather recorded is still below normal. “The cool climate will last through January, nevertheless there will be a slow rise in mercury now on,” she said.

Dr C VV Bhadram, deputy director general of IMD said, “The low temperature is owing to the land-based winds in the city -- north as well as north-west are cooling.”