Pune: Winter Chill Returns as Temperatures Drop to Single Digits in January

Pune woke up to a chilly Saturday morning as temperatures plunged to single digits, marking the coldest morning the city has experienced in the past two weeks. This sharp drop follows a comparatively milder second half of December, bringing back the winter chill across the region.

Several parts of Pune district experienced temperatures below 10°C. Haveli recorded the lowest at 8°C, while Shivajinagar and Talegaon followed closely with 9.6°C and 9.8°C, respectively. The NDA campus also reported a chilly 8.7°C, while both Baramati and Shirur saw temperatures dip to 9.2°C.

This is the first significant cold spell in January 2025, mirroring weather patterns observed in mid-December. Independent weather forecaster Abhijit Modak explained that the sudden drop was due to an anti-cyclonic system centered over central India, which created ideal conditions for temperatures to fall. “Clear skies and dry air, typical for this time of year, have contributed to the current cold wave. Although it feels colder now, temperatures are expected to rise slightly in the coming days,” Modak stated.

Pune’s minimum temperature of 9.6°C on Saturday was a sharp contrast to the warmer nights the city had been experiencing throughout December when the mercury often stayed between 16°C and 19°C. The recent dip, however, is considered part of regular seasonal fluctuations.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Ahmednagar recorded Maharashtra’s lowest temperature at 7.7°C during this cold snap. The recent chill in Pune comes after weeks of higher temperatures caused by moisture from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, which had kept nights unusually warm.

Despite the drop in nighttime temperatures, Pune’s daytime weather remained warmer than usual, with the maximum temperature reaching 31.4°C on Saturday. Weather experts suggest the cold spell will be short-lived, with temperatures expected to rise in the coming days, accompanied by dry weather and mild morning haze.