Mumbai experienced a warm and humid start to the day on Sunday, May 24, with cloudy skies and mild winds greeting residents as temperatures touched 31°C in the morning hours. Forecasters indicate that light rain and thundershowers are likely to provide welcome relief from the prevailing warm conditions across the city and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) later in the day.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), daytime temperatures are expected to hover between 28°C and 37°C. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast light rain accompanied by thundershowers in Mumbai and Thane, while AccuWeather data suggests that parts of Navi Mumbai could also see intermittent rainfall during the evening.
The anticipated showers follow light rainfall observed on Saturday in several parts of the city, including Marine Drive, Colaba, Byculla, and Parel, which helped create comparatively pleasant conditions during the early hours. These recent spells of drizzle come as anticipation builds for the arrival of the southwest monsoon, though weather officials have clarified that the current activity does not yet constitute full pre-monsoon showers.
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In addition to the weather developments, Mumbai continued to enjoy exceptionally clean air on Sunday morning. The city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 14 during the early hours, firmly within the ‘good’ category. This marks a significant improvement compared to previous months of fluctuating pollution levels.
While the majority of the city recorded excellent air quality, Maratha Colony was an exception with a moderate AQI reading of 57. Several neighbourhoods achieved single-digit AQI levels, including Gamdevi Station 1, Green Hills, Mandapeshwar, Prabhadevi, Vidya Nagari, and Walkeshwar, all registering an impressive 5. Other areas such as Bandra West Station 1, Hindu Colony, Santacruz West, Wadala, Chandivali, Chembur Gaothan, Dahisar East, Meghdoot, and Sakinaka reported AQI values between 7 and 8.
The combination of expected rainfall and sustained good air quality is likely to offer Mumbai residents a more comfortable Sunday compared to recent warm days. As the city waits for the full onset of the monsoon, these intermittent weather changes provide a temporary respite from the summer heat.