City logs sharp drop in min temperature

Pune: The city recorded a sharp drop in minimum temperature on Saturday, with NDA emerging as the coolest spot at 10.6°C, followed by Shivajinagar (13.5°C). The drop made Pune the coldest district in the state for the day. Lavale recorded a minimum temperature of 14.4°C, followed by Pashan (14.5°C), Lohegaon (17.3°C) and Chinchwad (17.9°C). Across Madhya Maharashtra, temperatures remained low as well. Ahilyanagar recorded 13.7°C, Nashik 14.0°C, Malegaon 14.4°C, Satara 15.1°C and Mahabaleshwar 15.0°C. Sangli and Kolhapur reported slightly higher minimums at 18.1°C and 18.6°C, respectively. Solapur, which saw a minimum of 19.9°C, logged the day's highest maximum temperature in the state at 36.5°C.
Daytime temperatures remained below normal in many places on Saturday, with Shivajinagar at 33.5°C, Lohegaon 34.8°C, Ahilyanagar 33.8°C, Malegaon and Sangli touching 34°C. Nashik and Satara reported 31.7°C and 33.1°C, respectively.Independent weather forecaster Abhijit Modak said the cooling trend was likely to be brief. "Temperatures will start rising after Holi. Maximums are expected to climb beyond 35°C and reach 36-37°C next weekend. Minimum temperatures, currently on the lower side, will also increase to 16-17°C," he said.Modak said with the onset of summer in March, an anticyclonic circulation was expected to develop, bringing dry, warm north-easterly winds that would drive temperatures upward. The north-westerly winds responsible for the recent dip were likely to subside, he said. "Parts of Konkan could see mercury hitting 40°C under high pressure conditions, while central Maharashtra may see highs up to 37°C. Coastal areas are likely to feel more heat when high pressure builds over the region," Modak said.