Mumbai Weather: What’s Causing The Haze Over The City?

Mumbai woke up to a thick layer of smog on Friday, causing concerns over air quality and visibility across the city. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) categorized the air quality as ‘Moderate,’ but the haze was noticeable, leaving residents alarmed. Social media was flooded with images of the city enveloped in murky air, leading many to voice their frustrations and worries.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recorded a significant number of complaints regarding the poor air quality. As of 4 PM, the 24-hour Air Quality Index (AQI) was at 160, still within the ‘Moderate’ category. However, this average value did little to reassure citizens, as local pollution spikes weren’t reflected in the AQI, causing continued poor visibility. Experts clarified that localized pollution spikes could not be captured in the average AQI reading, which further contributed to the distress.

Certain parts of the city recorded alarming levels of pollution. Siddharth Nagar in Worli saw PM10 levels rise to between 401 and 500, entering the ‘severe’ category from 7 AM to 10 AM. Areas like Borivali West and Malad West recorded PM2.5 levels exceeding 300, considered ‘very poor,’ during the day. Colaba, Deonar, and BKC also saw elevated pollution levels. Worse still, several air quality monitors in key locations like Worli and Shivaji Nagar were either malfunctioning or not fully operational, leading to gaps in AQI data.

Meteorologists attributed the haze to a mix of weather conditions, vehicle emissions, and industrial activity. A scientist from IIT Bombay mentioned that low temperatures and minimal wind speeds trapped pollutants in the air, while the high moisture content in Mumbai’s atmosphere worsened the situation by allowing pollutants to remain suspended.

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