Mumbai experienced an unseasonably hot day on December 4, 2024, as the city recorded its highest December temperature in the last 16 years. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 37.3 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 25.5 degrees Celsius, marking an extreme deviation from typical December weather. The last time such high temperatures were recorded in the city during this month was in 2008.
The Colaba observatory also reported elevated temperatures, with a maximum of 35.0 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 25.8 degrees Celsius. These unseasonal heat levels were mirrored in surrounding regions, as Thane and Palghar recorded maximum temperatures of 36.0 degrees Celsius and 36.2 degrees Celsius, respectively. While Mumbai topped the temperature charts in Maharashtra, other parts of the state also reported unusually warm conditions on the same day. The weather department forecasts a continuation of this pattern, predicting hazy mornings and partly cloudy skies in the afternoons and evenings over the next 24 hours. Adding to Mumbai’s climate concerns, the city’s air quality remained in the ‘moderate’ category on December 4. The Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 133 for Mumbai at 10:05 AM.
Among city areas, Borivali, Chembur, Kandivali, and Worli reported AQI levels of 180, 147, 144, and 144, respectively. Colaba and the Bandra Kurla Complex recorded moderate air quality with AQIs of 112 and 155, while Sion stood out with ‘good’ air quality at an AQI of 94. Neighbouring areas also reported moderate air quality, with Navi Mumbai recording an AQI of 104 and Thane at 110. The AQI scale categorises readings between 0 and 100 as ‘good’, 100 to 200 as ‘moderate’, 200 to 300 as ‘poor’, and values above 300 as ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’. Mumbai’s soaring December temperatures and fluctuating air quality underline the growing challenges posed by climate variability and urban pollution.
