Has Winter Ended? Unusually High Day and Night Temperatures Leave People Wondering – Here’s What Experts Say
Pune, Maharashtra: If you’ve been wondering why this winter feels less chilly than usual, you’re not alone. Across Maharashtra, nights have been unusually warm, leaving many residents missing the familiar winter chill in February. According to Anupam Kashyapi, a noted weather scientist and former head of weather forecasting at IMD Pune, the absence of cold northerly winds is the reason.
Kashyapi explains that the typical winter feel is missing because the state isn’t receiving its usual dose of cold winds from the north. Instead, moisture from the Bay of Bengal (BoB) is blowing into the region, creating a warm and humid weather pattern. Adding to this, thin high clouds are covering the sky, trapping heat and preventing the escape of long-wave radiation. This combination has led to nighttime temperatures being 2-3°C higher than normal. “The conditions are not comfortable at night,” Kashyapi remarked.
Cities like Pune, Mumbai, and Nashik are feeling the heat—literally. Pune recorded a minimum temperature of 14.2°C and a maximum of 32.8°C, while Mumbai’s temperatures ranged from 19.6°C to 30.2°C. Even Nashik, which usually sees cooler nights, recorded a minimum of 13.9°C. Meanwhile, Bramhapuri in Vidarbha sizzled at 37.2°C, the highest maximum temperature in the state.
For many, the unseasonal warmth has been unsettling. Winter in Maharashtra is usually a time for cozy nights and cool mornings, but this year, it feels like the season has skipped the state altogether. With no immediate change in weather patterns expected, it seems Maharashtra will have to wait till next winter for its winter chill.
