Residents of Pune are experiencing unseasonably warm nights, with minimum temperatures soaring significantly above normal levels, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). A combination of atmospheric factors is driving this unusual warmth, disrupting the typical winter chill.
Record Warm Nights Across the City
On Sunday, several key areas in Pune recorded startlingly high minimum temperatures. The Lohegaon area reported a low of 18.6 degrees Celsius, which is a massive 7.3 degrees above the seasonal average. Similarly, Pashan recorded a minimum temperature of 15°C, about 3.7°C higher than usual, while Shivajinagar saw a low of 14.8°C, marking a 4.5°C deviation from the norm.
IMD scientists attribute this trend to specific weather changes. "The influence of cold northerly winds has weakened, and moisture is entering the region. This combination is causing an increase in minimum temperatures," explained SD Sanap, a senior scientist with the IMD. The department forecasts mostly clear skies in the coming days, with minimum temperatures potentially climbing further to around 19°C.
Weather Systems and a Nationwide Fog Alert
Several active weather systems are influencing conditions. These include an upper-air cyclonic circulation over east Bangladesh and nearby areas, with similar circulations present over the southeast Arabian Sea near south Kerala, and over the southeast and southwest Bay of Bengal.
While Pune deals with warmth, North India is grappling with dense fog. The IMD's latest bulletin warns that dense to very dense fog is likely to persist during night and early morning hours across north and adjoining central India for the next seven days. Visibility has already dropped to zero in several locations, including:
- Amritsar
- Gwalior
- Kanpur
- Pantnagar
The IMD has issued a strong advisory, urging commuters and travellers to exercise extreme caution. Foggy conditions are expected to continue in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh until at least January 7, and in eastern Uttar Pradesh until January 8.
Short-Term Forecast for Maharashtra
For Maharashtra, the IMD predicts no major change in minimum temperatures over the next 24 hours. However, officials indicate that a gradual drop of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius is likely over the subsequent four days. This comes after a period where minimum temperatures in the region were closer to 10°C toward the end of December, highlighting the recent sharp increase.
The current weather pattern underscores the variability of winter conditions across India, with western parts like Pune experiencing unusual warmth while northern plains remain shrouded in thick fog, impacting travel and daily life.
