Cold winds from north India sweeping towards the south have intensified, leading to a major dip in temperatures across Maharashtra. Several cities in the state recorded a minimum temperature of 11 degrees Celsius, while Mumbai experienced a low of 16 degrees Celsius. The meteorological department has forecast cold wave conditions to persist for the next three days.
On January 3, Mumbai's maximum temperature reached 36 degrees Celsius, matching a similar high recorded in January 2016. Over the past eight years, maximum temperatures during this period ranged between 34 to 35 degrees Celsius. The rise in daytime temperatures is attributed to warm easterly winds, while cold winds at night are causing a significant dip in the mercury, resulting in contrasting day and night temperatures.
Cold Wave Grips Maharashtra: Temperature Drops Across CitiesSeveral parts of Maharashtra experienced a significant drop in temperature, with Ahilyanagar recording the coldest at 7.7 degrees Celsius. Here's a look at the minimum temperatures across key cities:
Nashik: 10.1°CParbhani: 11°CJalgaon: 9.6°CSambhajinagar: 11.6°CNanded: 11.2°CDharashiv: 12.3°CNandurbar: 12.8°CPalghar: 12.9°CMahabaleshwar: 13.8°CKolhapur: 15.3°CMumbai: 16.2°CDahanu: 16.7°CRatnagiri: 18.9°CThane: 21.2°C
A shift in weather patterns temporarily disrupted the north-to-south wind flow, causing a brief respite from the cold, according to meteorologist Athreya Shetty. The minimum temperature in Mumbai, which had dropped to 14 degrees Celsius during the cold wave, has now risen to 16 degrees Celsius. "The atmosphere has stabilized, and it’s not as cold as before," Shetty explained.
Since January 3, the morning minimum temperatures across the state have been steadily declining. On Saturday, early morning temperatures dropped by 0.5 to 3.5 degrees Celsius in several areas. This has intensified the cold wave in Konkan, including Mumbai, and other parts of Maharashtra. Meanwhile, the maximum temperature at 3 pm has risen by 1 to 7 degrees Celsius above normal, resulting in warm days and cold nights, according to meteorologist Manikrao Khule.