MUMBAI: The city’s minimum temperature fell on Saturday as

’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory recorded a minimum of 18.4° C. There has been a steady drop in minimum temperature since the past few days and weathermen have forecast a further drop in the coming days.

Residents said the drop was evident early morning.

resident Priyanka Sahu, a housewife, said there was a chill while she was on her morning walk. “The weather was pleasant and it was a respite from the uncomfortable, hot days over the last month. Hopefully, this will stay through the month,” she said.

The maximum temperature, which till the beginning of the month was above 35°, dropped to 32°for the past two days. The lowest minimum temperature recorded for December last year was 15.2 °, which was on the 21st, while in 2016, it was 15° on the 11th. The all-time lowest recorded minimum temperature has been 10.6° on December 20 in 1949.

The minimum temperature recorded at Santacruz observatory on Saturday was 18.4°, which is 0.4° below normal, while the minimum at

was 22°, which was 0.8° above normal. K S Hosalikar, deputy director general of meteorology, said that while the winds are north of north westerly, indicating cool breeze, the speed is not sufficient. “The winds are not very strong but definitely one can observe a drop in minimum temperature.

are seeing a further drop due to the region’s topography,” he said.