Why Is Pune Feeling A Chill Despite No Major Drop In Minimum Temperatures?

Pune: Pune has recently started experiencing a light chill in the mornings and late nights, giving residents a taste of the winter season ahead. Although the minimum temperatures have not drastically decreased, ranging between 15 to 18 degrees Celsius, the cold feels much sharper due to other atmospheric factors. According to Medha Khole, head of weather forecasting at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this chilly sensation is primarily due to the substantial difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures in Pune, coupled with specific local cooling effects.During the day, maximum temperatures can reach up to 30 degrees Celsius, providing warm, almost summery conditions. However, as soon as the sun sets, temperatures drop significantly, creating a sharp contrast. Unlike the monsoon season, where clear parameters define its arrival, winter in Pune gradually sets in due to a mix of factors. Khole explains that Pune’s winter chill is influenced by two main contributors: cold northern winds and local cooling patterns.A major factor enhancing the night chill is surface cooling, a process that accelerates as the skies remain mostly cloudless. Clear skies allow the heat accumulated during the day to escape more readily, cooling the ground faster after sunset. Shorter days also contribute to this cooling effect, as the sun sets around 6 p.m., leaving more time for nighttime temperatures to fall.Additionally, the lack of humidity in the air has intensified the drop in temperature. Low moisture levels result in a drier atmosphere, allowing temperatures to feel cooler than they might under humid conditions.For northern India, winter chills are largely driven by cold winds originating from other continents, which sweep across the region during the season. Western disturbances—cold winds carrying moisture—often bring rain and snowfall to northern parts of the country, contributing to the seasonal drop in temperatures.