Mumbai Breathes ‘Green’ Air Again As AQI Improved to ‘Satisfactory’ Category After Rain

Mumbaikars heaved a sigh of relief as light rain in many parts of the city improved the overall air quality to the ‘satisfactory’ category on Monday. According to the CPCP bulletin on Monday, Mumbai’s average AQI in the past 24 hours was recorded at 59, which comes under the ‘satisfactory’ category.

According to a TOI report, most of Mumbai’s Air Quality Monitoring stations recorded good Air Quality Index (AQI) due to weather.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) data, Dahisar and Thane witnessed some light drizzle between Sunday night and Monday morning. Rainfall recorded in the last 24 hours by the IMD Colaba and Santa Cruz observatory was 6 mm and 2 mm respectively.

The weather agency, on Monday morning, issued a nowcast warning around 11:00 am predicting light spells of rain very likely at isolated places in Mumbai, Thane & Raigad during the next 3-4 hours.

Rain Improves Mumbai AQI

Rains led the AQI of the city to drop to the ‘good’ category in many pockets of the city.

Average AQI of Mumbai and Surrounding Areas on Monday evening –

Mumbai – 59 (satisfactory category)

Bhandup – 31

Colaba – 62

Malad – 41

Worli – 26

Mazgaon – 37

Navi Mumbai – 46

Earlier this month, Mumbai was ranked among the world’s most polluted cities along with New Delhi and Kolkata, according to data by Swiss Group IQAir.

How Pollution Became a Major Issue in Mumbai?

Mumbai is a coastal city experiencing strong winds, which sweep away suspended pollutants in the air.

Despite the geographical advantage, a combination of natural and man-made factors played a huge role in increasing the AQI in the city.

In 2022, Mumbai saw the longest spell of poor air quality in the city, extending from November to January.

Mumbai Rain Predictions

According to IMD officials, the interaction of active Western Disturbance and trough in easterly along with high moisture feed from the Arabian Sea caused fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall along with thunderstorm & hailstorm activity over north Maharashtra (which includes Mumbai) & Marathwada yesterday.

“The intensity of adverse weather to reduce from today (Monday). However Light to moderate rainfall at some places accompanied with isolated thunderstorms & lightning is very likely over north Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada & Vidarbha during 27th-29th November with significant reduction thereafter,” the weather agency said in an X (formerly Twitter) post.

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