Pune recorded its lowest night temperatures of the season, with the minimum falling to 18.5°C in Shivajinagar and 16.8°C at the National Defence Academy station as clear skies, low atmospheric moisture and northerly winds increased night-time cooling.
The India Meteorological Department recorded a minimum temperature of 18.6°C in Pashan, 19.6°C in Lohegaon, 22.9°C in Chinchwad and 22.4°C in Magarpatta. The readings show variation across Pune’s monitoring stations, with the NDA station recording the lowest temperature and Chinchwad and Magarpatta remaining warmer.
IMD scientist S D Sanap attributed the fall to northerly winds and reduced moisture in the atmosphere. “Clear skies and less cloud cover during the night are allowing radiative cooling, leading to a drop in minimum temperatures,” he said.
Sanap said minimum temperatures were likely to remain around current levels for the next two to three days and were not expected to fall significantly further. He said temperatures would then rise gradually as moisture incursion from a weather system over the Bay of Bengal begins to influence conditions.
According to the IMD’s local forecast, Pune’s maximum temperature is expected to remain around 35°C on Saturday and Sunday. Minimum temperatures are forecast at 19°C and 20°C on those two days. The city is expected to see mainly clear skies, with cloud cover likely to increase towards the afternoon or evening.
The forecast indicates a gradual easing in daytime temperatures from Monday. Maximum temperatures are expected to reach around 34°C on October 26 and 33°C on October 28 and 29, while minimum temperatures are forecast to rise gradually to between 20°C and 22°C.
The change in Pune’s night temperatures is linked to a weather system over the east-central and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal. The low-pressure area persisted on Friday and was expected to intensify into a depression on Saturday, the IMD said. It was forecast to strengthen further into a deep depression on Sunday and into a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by Monday morning.
The system is expected to move towards the north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts over the following two days. Sanap said there was currently no significant possibility of rain in Pune or in most parts of Maharashtra.
