E-Paper
Cooler nights return as minimum temperatures drop to 12 degrees Celsius
The absence of cloud cover has allowed heat to escape more efficiently at night, leading to cooler conditions.
PUNE: After recording above-normal minimum temperatures for over a week, Pune witnessed a noticeable dip on Sunday, February 8, with the mercury falling to 12.9 degrees Celsius. The drop marked the return of cooler nights to the city after a brief warm spell earlier this month.
Since the beginning of the month, Pune had been experiencing higher-than-normal night temperatures, hovering around 14 degrees Celsius. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this was nearly two degrees Celsius above normal minimum temperature during this period. Meteorologists attributed the warmer nights to increased moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal, which prevented temperatures from dropping significantly.
However, with no active weather system currently affecting Maharashtra and skies remaining largely clear, minimum temperatures have again started dropping across several stations in the state, including Pune. The absence of cloud cover has allowed heat to escape more efficiently at night, leading to cooler conditions.
Shivajinagar, the official representative weather station for Pune city, recorded a minimum temperature of 12.9 degrees Celsius. Other areas also experienced a drop, with the NDA station registering the lowest minimum temperature in the city at 11.3 degrees Celsius. By contrast, stations such as Pashan and Lohegaon did not witness a significant change, recording minimum temperatures of 13 degrees Celsius and 17 degrees Celsius, respectively; almost similar to those recorded on February 7.
While nights turned cooler, daytime temperatures remained within the normal range. The maximum temperature on Sunday was recorded as 32 degrees Celsius. However, data from the past 48 hours indicates a gradual rise in daytime temperatures, increasing from 30.3 degrees Celsius on February 6 to 31.5 degrees Celsius on February 7, and further to 32 degrees Celsius on February 8.
IMD officials said that there is no significant change expected in temperatures over the next few days. Forecasts suggest that both minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to remain around the current levels.
S D Sanap, senior meteorologist at IMD Pune, said that the city is expected to experience clear skies for the next three to five days. “During this period, there will be no major change in temperatures. However, due to clear sky conditions, some areas in the city may experience fog during the early morning hours over the next few days,” he said.
