The city of Nashik shivered through its coldest night of the current season on Saturday, as the mercury plunged to a chilling 6.9 degrees Celsius. This significant drop has prompted the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue an official cold wave warning for the district and neighbouring Jalgaon.
IMD Sounds the Alarm on Biting Cold
Sushma Nair, a scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Mumbai, confirmed that the 6.9°C reading at the Nashik observatory is the lowest recorded this season. Forecasts suggest the cold spell will persist for the next couple of days. According to IMD protocols, a cold wave is declared when the minimum temperature dips below 10°C and stays at least 4.5 degrees below the normal average for two consecutive days. "Current observations met these conditions, leading to the alert," explained a senior IMD Mumbai officer.
Sharp Contrast Between Day and Night
While nights have turned frigid, daytime temperatures tell a different story. Nashik's maximum temperature was recorded at 29.1°C, which is actually one degree above the normal average. The IMD officer attributed this stark contrast to clear skies. "With no cloud cover, heat escapes rapidly at night, making it colder. Conversely, the sun warms the ground effectively during the day, keeping afternoons hot," the officer stated.
Rural Areas Experience Even Colder Chill
The cold grip is tighter in the rural belts of the region. The Agriculture Research Centre in Niphad, Nashik district, registered a bone-chilling 4.5°C, a new low for the area. This trend of below-normal temperatures is widespread across North Maharashtra:
- Jalgaon: 6.0°C (4.7 degrees below normal)
- Dhule's Agriculture College: 5.3°C
- Ahilyanagar: 6.4°C (3.7 degrees below normal)
- Malegaon: 7.8°C (3 degrees below normal)
The entire region is currently under the influence of this intense cold spell, with data indicating a sharp and consistent decline in nighttime temperatures.
