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Pune shivers at 8.6 degree C
Pune recorded its lowest morning temperature at 8.6 degrees Celsius, with four areas in the district experiencing temperatures around 7 degrees Celsius. The drop in temperature is due to cooler winds from the north, but it is expected to rise gradually over the next few days. Other districts in Maharashtra also saw temperatures below normal levels.
After experiencing the season’s first-ever single-digit temperature on Wednesday, the city on Thursday recorded the lowest morning temperature at 8.6 degrees Celsius. There is a possibility that citizens will continue to experience the chill on Republic Day as well. Meanwhile, four areas in the district recorded minimum temperatures in the region of 7 degrees Celsius with Shirur at 7.4 degrees Celsius.
For the last three to four days, the city has seen a drop in minimum temperatures. From 12.1 degrees Celsius on January 22, the temperature dropped to 8.6 degrees Celsius on January 25, adding another cold day to the season. As per India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, Pune recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the state which was 2.5 degrees Celsius below normal level. The maximum temperature recorded in the city was 29.7 degrees Celsius.
The IMD also recorded a significant drop in minimum temperature in other areas of the district. Most districts of the state recorded minimum temperatures below normal levels. Central Maharashtra saw a significant drop in temperature and apart from Pune, eight other districts recorded temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius with Jalgaon (9.3 degrees Celsius), Malegaon (9.4 degrees Celsius), Nashik (8.6 degrees Celsius), Aurangabad (9.4 degrees Celsius), Akola (9.5 degrees Celsius), Gondiya (9.5 degrees Celsius), Nagpur (8.7 degrees Celsius) and Yavatmal (9.0 degrees Celsius). In other districts, temperature was recorded between 10 and 14 degrees Celsius.
Anupam Kashyapi, head of the weather forecasting division of IMD Pune, said that the drop in temperature is mainly due to the northern cooler winds that are having a strong impact. However, the situation will soon change and the city will start experiencing a significant rise in temperature from January 25, he said. The IMD forecast suggests that from Thursday, minimum temperature will rise gradually and it is expected to increase by two to three degrees Celsius in Maharashtra including Pune city over the next three to four days, Kashyapi said.
Two western disturbances are likely to affect the northern part of the country. This system will prevent the flow of northern winds downwards. Moreover, the southern winds flowing from the Bay of Bengal and the winds flowing from the Arabian Sea are bringing moisture into the state. This changing wind pattern will bring a significant change in temperature in the coming days, Kashyapi said.
Meanwhile, as the city is experiencing colder days for the past three to four days, a dense haze can also be seen during early morning hours in various areas of the city. Areas like Pashan and NDA which are comparatively greener than other parts of the city are experiencing more chilly weather.
