Unprecedented chill grips Maharashtra: Pune plummets colder than hill station Mahabaleshwar

Data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reveals the scale of the sudden chill.

Pune and large swathes of Maharashtra shivered under an unseasonal cold snap on Sunday, with temperatures in the state’s cultural capital dropping notably below those of the popular hill station Mahabaleshwar.

Data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reveals the scale of the sudden chill. The IMD observatory in Pashan, Pune, recorded a minimum temperature of 9.4 degrees Celsius, representing a sharp drop of 4–5 degrees Celsius from Saturday's reading of 13.7 degrees Celsius.

The rural area of Haveli was even colder at 7.8 degrees Celsius, ranking it among the region's coldest pockets. By comparison, Mahabaleshwar registered a milder 11.4 degrees Celsius.

The mercury dip was widespread across the state. The Vidarbha and Marathwada regions saw minimums between 10 degrees Celsius and 13 degrees Celsius, while cities like Ahilyanagar (9.5 degrees Celsius), Nashik (9.9 degrees Celsius), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (10.2 degrees Celsius) and Malegaon (13.2 degrees Celsius) experienced similar conditions.

An IMD official indicated the cold spell is set to intensify briefly, forecasting a further 2–3 degree Celsius drop over northern parts of Maharashtra for the next two days before conditions stabilise.

According to the IMD's forecast, cold wave conditions are very likely to continue in isolated pockets of central Maharashtra and Punjab from December 1-3, in Marathwada on December 2-3 and in East Rajasthan from December 4-7.

The agency attributes the widespread chill to a confluence of weather systems. These include the influence of Cyclone Ditwah near the Tamil Nadu coast, which is driving unseasonal rainfall in southern states and a western disturbance manifesting as an upper-air cyclonic circulation over North Haryana.

In contrast to the inland cold, Mumbai began its week under clear blue skies with a gentle winter breeze. However, the pleasant morning was undermined by the city's persistently poor air quality. A layer of haze and smog lingered, reducing visibility.

The deteriorating conditions have prompted civic action. Authorities have begun implementing restrictions under the highest level, Level 4, of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). This follows air pollution in several areas — including Mazgaon, Deonar, Malad, Borivali East, Chakala-Andheri East, Navy Nagar, Powai and Mulund — crossing into the 'very poor' and 'severe' categories.