A cold wave is expected to hit parts of northern and central Maharashtra over the weekend, with a likelihood that both the maximum and minimum temperatures will be below average. A cold wave is a spell of cool weather that affects a large area in a particular span of time. These waves are generally caused by ice-cold winds blowing from northern India, which lead to a drastic drop in the temperature. Experts said that the anticipated cold wave would be caused by chilly and icy winds that would blow over the western parts of India from the Himalayas.
“Between January 15 and 18, parts of Vidarbha, Pune, Jalgaon, Nandurbar, Dhule, and Nashik may experience very low temperatures. In several parts of Maharashtra, including Pune, the minimum (night) temperature is already in the single digits. “We can expect the mercury levels to drop even further during this period,” said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather Services Private Limited. Palawat said that Mumbai would comparatively record higher temperatures than the rest of the state.
IMD issued alert for these states
“The minimum temperature in Mumbai will hover between 14 and 16 degrees Celsius, which is also below the average and may not fall further. The primary cause of the cold wave is the chilly northern winds that have started to blow from the Himalayas toward the western part of the country. The western disturbances are also over, so there is no obstruction for these winds now,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert stating that because they are located in the state’s northernmost end, Nandurbar, Dhule, Jalgaon, and Nashik will have the coolest temperatures during the cold wave. Central Maharashtra districts such as Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed, Parbhani, Latur, and Solapur will be moderately affected, while Mumbai, Pune, Raigad, and Thane will be minimally affected.
The minimum temperature in Mumbai, recorded in the IMD’s Santacruz observatory, showed 17 degrees Celsius while the Colaba reading showed 20 degrees Celsius. Weather experts stated that the minimum temperature would hover between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius during the week and may drop further at the weekend.