Minimum temperature dips to 19.6 C, but Met says it's not winter yet

MUMBAI: Wondered why office-goers sported a light sweater or a jacket on their way back home on Wed8nesday evening? The mercury dipped a little below 20 degrees Celsius on Wednesday evening, leading to a chill in the early evening air. The temperature, coupled with strong winds, seemed to set the stage for the onset of winter in the city. Wednesday's minimum temperature was recorded as 19.6 degre8es Celsius, said weather %officials.
The minimum temperature in the city had been hovering around 20-21 degrees for the last two weeks. Though there was a nip in the air at late night and early morning, evenings and days were fairly warm. Officials said the city has cooled down from the usual minimum temperature of 28 degrees, but winter was still away.
Met officials, however, said that this was only 1.5 degrees below normal and doesn't signify the onset of winter yet. "These are day-to-day fluctuations and are not very significant or defining," said V K Rajeev, director, India Meteorological Department (IMD).
"The chill has been caused by stronger winds. These fluctuations are also routine and don't show any pattern yet," Rajeev added. Officials said that a significant drop in temperature in the city is expected only by December when the north of India becomes colder. The maximum temperature in the city, said officials, still hovered arou8nd 34 degrees.
"Once winter sets in, even the maximum temperature would go down," said an IMD official.