Mumbai Shivers at 22.2°C: City Records Coldest May Morning Since 1951
Mumbai Shivers at 22.2°C: City Records Coldest May Morning Since 1951
Santacruz dips to 20.6°C — coldest in over a decade; rainfall makes it wettest May since 2021
Mumbai experienced an unusually chilly start to the day on Thursday, marking its coldest May morning in over seven decades. The Colaba coastal observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 22.2°C, the lowest for the month of May since 1951. In the suburbs, Santacruz witnessed even cooler conditions with the mercury dipping to 20.6°C — the lowest May temperature there in more than ten years.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that Thursday’s temperature in Colaba was 4.4°C below normal, breaking the previous record of 22.8°C set in 1951. Meanwhile, the Santacruz observatory’s reading was nearly six degrees below normal, falling just short of the all-time May low of 20.2°C, recorded on May 12, 1985.
This abrupt drop came just two days after Mumbai recorded a minimum of 28.9°C on Tuesday, signalling a massive temperature dip of nearly 8 degrees in 48 hours.
Rainfall Brings Relief and Records
The temperature drop followed intermittent spells of rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds that swept across Mumbai and neighbouring districts including Thane, Palghar, and Raigad on Wednesday. A yellow alert remains in place for the region. The Santacruz weather station reported 34 mm of rainfall between Tuesday and Thursday, making this the wettest May for Mumbai since at least 2021.
According to IMD forecasts, the city will continue to experience light showers, cloudy skies, and thunderstorms through Friday. While minimum temperatures are expected to remain low, daytime temperatures may also hover below normal.
Cause Behind the Chill
IMD scientists attributed this unusual weather to a western disturbance, which has formed a trough and facilitated moisture incursion, triggering pre-monsoon activity in the region.
Temperature Snapshot – May 2024
- Santacruz: 20.6°C (Lowest in over a decade)
- Colaba: 22.2°C (Coldest since 1951)
Historic May Lows:
- Santacruz: 20.2°C (1985)
- Colaba: 22.8°C (1951)
May Minimums at Santacruz Over Recent Years:
- 2024 — 22.5°C
- 2023 — 25.2°C
- 2022 — 25.4°C
- 2021 — 23.6°C
- 2020 — 25.6°C
- 2019 — 24.2°C
- 2018 — 22.8°C
- 2017 — 24.0°C
- 2016 — 24.8°C
- 2015 — 24.2°C
