Pune recorded the lowest night temperature on Tuesday, at 11.5 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperatures are expected to drop even more, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), bringing colder breezes to the city. The lowest temperature has been steadily dropping across Maharashtra.

On Tuesday, Nashik was reported to be the coldest spot in Maharashtra at 10 degrees Celsius with Mahabaleshwar believed to be the second coolest with a minimum temperature of 10.2 degrees Celsius. Pune was the third coolest in the state.

However, the minimum temperature reported so far for January is four degrees greater than the documented lowest minimum temperature for this month in the prior decade.

According to the meteorological authority, day and night temperatures for Makar Sankranti on January 15 will be approximately 30 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees Celsius respectively.

Speaking about the reduction in temperature, Anupam Kashyapi, director of weather forecasting section of IMD Pune said, “There is a western disturbance as a cyclonic circulation lays over northwest Rajasthan and neighboring central Pakistan at lower and medium tropospheric levels. A trough spans from North interior Karnataka to north-central Maharashtra at lower tropospheric levels. A cyclonic circulation exists over north Konkan and vicinity and a trough flows from the cyclonic circulation to Jharkhand at lower tropospheric levels. The cyclonic circulation over Southwest Bay of Bengal and surroundings at lower tropospheric levels. A confluence of winds from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal at lower tropospheric levels is extremely expected throughout East and neighboring central India till January 14,” said Kashyapi.

Under its effect, portions of Central India including Vidarbha in Maharashtra may experience isolated rainfall coupled with hailstorm, he noted.

“Pune may observe a reduction in day temperature but, progressive rise in night temperature is forecast. Night temperature may soar to as high as 15 degrees Celsius in the following several days,” stated Kashyapi.

The skies are likely to remain clear for the next several days in Pune.