Mumbai's December Air Quality cleanest in 4 years; chilly weather expected in January

In a positive development, Mumbai has shown a notable improvement in its air quality, compared to the last four Decembers, as reported by Respirer Living Services, a leading climate tech platform.

Although the overall air quality is rated as poor, specialists observed a slight increase in PM 2.5 levels in November 2023. This rise is attributed to factors such as weather patterns, Diwali celebrations, and emissions from vehicles and construction sites.

Certain areas, particularly suburbs along the eastern coast, experienced poor air quality, attributed to a sudden decline in wind speed, resulting in thick smog. The overall AQI spiked from Wednesday’s 177 to 198 on Thursday morning. Bandra Kurla Complex registered the worst air quality at 294, followed by Malad West (293), Shivaji Nagar (256), and Navy Nagar in Colaba (243).

Weather experts predict elevated AQI due to winter and wind reversals, with temperatures expected to drop below 18 degrees in early January. The city is likely to experience temperatures between 20-22 degrees in the next few days, with a significant dip to nearly 16 degrees post-New Year’s Eve, according to the India Meteorological Department.