Mumbai wakes up to unseasonal rain showers on the first day of 2026

Mumbai: The dawn of the New Year brought unexpected rain showers, surprising Mumbaikars. The drizzle started around 5am on Thursday, briefly intensifying in areas across south Mumbai. In the suburbs, Andheri and Powai were among the areas that witnessed light drizzle.Weather forecasters attributed the unusual rain activity to moisture-rich winds from the Arabian Sea, which also resulted in a slight dip in temperatures. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated that minimum temperatures are likely to remain in the range of 17-19° C for the next few days, with no further rainfall expected for the city.On Thursday, IMD's Colaba observatory recorded 9.2mm of rainfall and a minimum temperature of 19.2°C, which was 0.3°C below normal, and IMD's Santacruz observatory logged 6.7mm of rainfall, the highest Jan rainfall in the last 12 years, and a minimum of 19.5°C, which was 2.7°C above normal. Santacruz observatory's all-time highest Jan rainfall stands at 17.8mm recorded in 1994.Independent weather forecaster Athreya Shetty said, "An active western disturbance has been affecting north India since Dec 31. An associated cold front moved east-southeastwards over the last 24 hours. As this cold front reached Mumbai this morning, it brought in moisture-laden westerly winds from the Arabian Sea. The temperature contrast on either side of the front triggered the formation of convective clouds over south Mumbai and adjoining areas, resulting in light to moderate showers across the city."Rushikesh Agre, who regularly posts weather updates on the X handle, Mumbai Rains, indicated that weather conditions are expected to remain mostly cool and pleasant on Friday. "From the weekend, temperatures are likely to rise as winds turn easterly. By the time the sea breeze sets in, daytime temperatures in Mumbai are expected to hover around 32–33°C, while Thane could see temperatures in the range of 35–36°C," he stated.