A sudden dip in temperature has gripped Maharashtra, signalling the firm arrival of winter across several districts. Pune, in particular, recorded a sharp drop on Sunday with the mercury plunging to 13.5°C, colder than Mahabaleshwar, which stood at 19.6°C. The chill continued on Monday morning as temperatures dipped further, catching residents off guard.
Daily routines across Pune were disrupted as people scrambled to adjust to the sudden cold. “On Saturday, we couldn’t have imagined winter would arrive so suddenly. We weren’t prepared for this,” said Sushil Sharma, an employee working in the industrial belt of Talegaon and Chakan.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), several areas in Pune district recorded low double-digit minimum temperatures. Malin was the coldest at 11.0°C, followed by Talegaon (11.5°C), Kurvande (11.6°C), and Ambegaon (12.1°C). Other parts of the district, including Pashan (12.9°C), Baramati (12.6°C), Bhor (14.0°C), Lavale (15.7°C), and Chinchwad (16.8°C), also reported a sharp chill.
The cold wave extended beyond Pune, affecting large parts of the state. Dhule recorded the lowest temperature at 8.6°C, followed by Jeur (10°C), Jalgaon (10.5°C), and Parbhani (10.6°C). In contrast, coastal cities like Mumbai (19°C) and Ratnagiri (19°C) remained comparatively warm, while Nashik (10.8°C), Aurangabad (11.8°C), Beed (11.5°C), and Nagpur (12.2°C) also felt the winter nip.
“Radiation cooling due to clear skies, reduced humidity, and the intrusion of dry, cold air from the north are the key factors behind the sudden drop in minimum temperatures,” said SD Sanap, senior scientist at IMD Pune.
The IMD has forecast dry weather across most parts of Maharashtra for the next five days, with minimum temperatures expected to fall further. Meteorologists warn that the cold intensity may increase, bringing a sharper winter chill to the state.
