Pune Witnesses Chilly Morning With Fogg and Cold Winds: To continue for few more days – IMD
Residents of Pune woke up to a chilling Monday morning with foggy conditions accompanied by cold winds, making the weather feel colder than it actually was. Though the minimum temperature hovered around 15-16°C, the biting winds intensified the chill. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted a gradual increase in minimum temperatures across Maharashtra over the next three days, bringing slight relief from the current cold spell though the haze and fog are expected to linger on for a few more days.
IMD Forecast and Weather Conditions
According to the IMD, Pune is expected to experience mainly clear skies, turning partly cloudy by afternoon or evening. Morning haze is anticipated, with temperatures ranging between 15°C and 30°C. The recent cold wave that gripped the state is expected to ease as cyclonic winds developing over Southeast Iran and Southwest Rajasthan have altered atmospheric pressure, aligning western and eastern winds. This shift is expected to reduce the intensity of the cold wave, leading to a rise in minimum temperatures by 2°C to 3°C across Maharashtra in the coming days.
Other parts of Maharashtra, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalgaon, and Parbhani, also experienced dense fog and hail during the early morning hours, with temperatures dropping below 10°C last week.
Temperature Overview
Jalgaon recorded the lowest temperature in Maharashtra at 13°C, while Bramhapur experienced the highest at 30.9°C. Pune reported a minimum of 15.5°C and a maximum of 29.2°C on Monday.
Impact on Flight Operations
The dense fog severely affected flight operations over the weekend, causing significant disruptions at Pune airport. Poor visibility led to delays and diversions, inconveniencing hundreds of passengers. On Saturday alone, 12 inbound flights were delayed, and three were diverted to other airports between midnight and 2 pm. Departing flights also faced issues, with 14 delays reported during the same period.
Among the diversions, an Air India flight from Delhi to Pune was rerouted to Ahmedabad, while an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Pune was redirected to Goa. An Air India Express flight from Hyderabad to Pune was diverted to Mumbai. Many passengers reported missed connections and delays in receiving assistance from airlines.
Pune airport authorities stated that the delays were due to low visibility and assured that all necessary steps were being taken to minimize inconvenience for travelers. The CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) has been ensuring faster security clearances to avoid crowding.
