Pune city experiences warm winter

PUNE It is almost January-end and there is no hint of winter in the city so far. The coldest day of the winter this month was recorded on January 22 when the city recorded 13.7 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature. It was 2.6 degrees warmer than normal.

“December 2020 was the third warmest December in the last decade with the lowest minimum temperature reported on December 20 at 8.3 degrees Celsius,” as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Though the weather department had predicted a cooler winter this year attributing to the existing La Nina conditions, there has been no cold wave-like situation observed in Maharashtra for December and January so far.

As per IMD, winter season is considered to be from December to February, but temperature sees a rise post-January.

Pune also has experienced a warmer winter this year with above-normal day and night temperatures.

Anupam Kashyapi, head, weather forecasting department, IMD, said that La Nina is related to the cooling of the Pacific waters, while the El Nino is linked to its heating. La Nina conditions this year are favourable for cold wave conditions.

“Winter could be colder this season due to the prevailing La Nina conditions. As a result, all the features of winter will be more conspicuous over north India, areas of central India and in pockets of eastern India,” said Kahayapi, But colder winds are elusive in Maharashtra. Explaining that, Kashyapi added that the state gets colder winds from the north which result in a drop in temperature in the state.

“However, this time is Maharashtra, the weather was mostly dominated by westerly, southwesterly, southerly wind pattern preventing the northerly wind to penetrate. As a result, there the winter is warmer in our state. With almost no cold wave conditions throughout the state except in Vidarbha region, where cold wave conditions occurred at isolated areas for a few days only,” said Kashyapi.

IMD officials said that due to weather systems, the cold is not prevailing for more than one or two days because of which the temperature drop not seen this January.

BOX-

*Night Temperature

*January== Temperature (in Degree Celsius)==Year

*Highest night temperature from 2011-2020==20==2013

*Highest night temperature this month==19.7 (till Jan 25)==2021

*Lowest night temperature from 2011 to 2020==5.3==2011

*Lowest night temperature this month==13.6==2021

*DayTemperature

*January== Temperature (in Degree Celsius)==Year

*Highest Day temperature from 2011-2020==34.4==2016

*Highest Day temperature this month==33.6==2021

*Lowest day temperature from 2011 to 2020==25.3==2011

*Lowest day temperature this month==26.6==2021