Pune left shivering as minimum mercury stays below 10 deg C for 6 days, longest streak since 2015

Pune

Pune is enduring its most prolonged bout of winter chill in nearly a decade, with minimum temperatures stubbornly lodged in single digits for six consecutive days, a relentless cold spell not seen since 2015.

The city has recorded nightly lows hovering between 8 and 9 degrees Celsius since last week, culminating in the season’s coldest night so far on December 11, when the mercury dipped to 7.9 degrees Celsius. According to weather data, this persistent shiver marks a significant departure from recent winters.

While 2016 and 2018 each saw eight days below 10 degrees Celsius, those were scattered across the season. In contrast, years like 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023 saw no single-digit minimums at all, making the current unbroken stretch particularly notable.

Meteorological analysis indicates the cold snap is far from over. Forecasts suggest Pune could experience these biting conditions until at least December 19. If this holds, the city may surpass modern records for the highest count of such cold days in a single winter.

Experts attribute the protracted freeze to a favourable confluence of atmospheric patterns. Anupam Kashyapi, former head of the weather forecasting division at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Pune, explained the dynamics to this publication. He noted that a normal count of western disturbances — storm systems originating over the Mediterranean — has allowed cold northerly winds to firmly establish themselves over Maharashtra without interruption.

Kashyapi attributed the conditions to a limited number of western disturbances, which he said allowed cold northern winds to settle over the state. He further cited the reinforcing influence of active La Nina conditions, linking the combined effect directly to the increased frequency of cold days in the region.

Typically, frequent western disturbances bring cloud cover and rain to north India, which can block or modify the southward flow of cold air. Their relative absence this season has enabled a deeper penetration of cold continental air into the peninsula.