Mumbai Weather Update: Smog Blanket Shrouds Mumbai, Wadala Sees ‘Hazardous’ AQI as Air Quality Worsens
Mumbai : On Saturday, Mumbai woke up to a thick layer of smog, drastically reducing visibility across large swathes of the metropolis and disrupting the morning commute for many residents. According to the Free Press Journal, the smog was driven by a combination of warm temperatures, cloudy skies and accumulated pollutants lingering close to the ground.
Latest figures from AQI.in showed that the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reached around 288 early on Saturday, placing Mumbai in the ‘Unhealthy’ category, where prolonged outdoor exposure can pose health risks even for healthy individuals. Areas across the city have seen fluctuating but persistently poor air quality in recent days.
The situation was particularly severe at the Wadala Truck Terminal, which recorded an alarming AQI of 419 – well into the ‘Hazardous’ bracket that signifies significant danger to all groups of people, including those without pre-existing health conditions. Other parts of Mumbai also reported very high pollution levels, with locations such as Shell Colony, Reserve Bank of India Staff Quarters Station 2, Savitribai Phule Nagar and Kannamwar Nagar Li all registering AQI readings above 340, categorized as ‘Severe’.
Meteorological data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast mainly clear skies for the rest of the day, with temperatures ranging between approximately 21°C and 35°C. This temperature range is slightly above the recent average for the city, indicative of a gradual seasonal warming trend.
Experts attribute the elevated pollution largely to fine particulate matter stirred up by extensive construction activities across Mumbai, which add dust and other pollutants to the air. Vehicular emissions remain another significant contributor.
Health authorities have urged children, older adults and individuals with respiratory or heart conditions to minimize time spent outdoors and take precautions if exposure to the polluted air is unavoidable.
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