According to officials, parts of northern and central Maharashtra could experience a cold wave this weekend, with both maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be below average. According to experts, the expected cold wave would be caused by chilly and frosty winds blowing over western India from the Himalayas.
"Between January 15 and 18, parts of Vidarbha, Pune, Jalgaon, Nandurbar, Dhule and Nashik may see unusually low temperatures. In various parts of Maharashtra, including Pune, the lowest (night) temperature is already in the single digits. "We can expect the mercury readings to drop much further throughout this period," said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather Services Private Limited.
"The minimum temperature in Mumbai will remain between 14 and 16 degrees Celsius, which is similarly below the norm and may not fall further. The frigid northern winds that have begun to blow from the Himalayas towards the western section of the country are the primary cause of the cold wave. "The western disturbances are also over, so there is no longer any impediment to these winds," he added.
Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert saying that located in the state's northernmost end, Nandurbar, Dhule, Jalgaon, and Nashik will have the lowest temperatures during the cold wave. Central Maharashtra districts such as Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed, Parbhani, Latur, and Solapur will be considerably affected, while Mumbai, Pune, Raigad, and Thane will be slightly affected.