Maharashtra: Warmer nights expected to continue till November 28

PUNE: The typical winter chill may escape Pune district as well as some other districts of Madhya Maharashtra until November 28, an extended range forecast of the IMD indicated.
The forecast said the minimum temperatures were likely to be above normal by 1-3°C over the northwest and adjoining central India as well as in parts of the northeastern states from November 14 to 21.Further, almost similar trends are likely to prevail over most parts of the country from November 21 to 27.

The forecast maps indicated that a portion of central Maharashtra, which includes districts like Pune and Nashik, may experience warmer than normal night temperatures (by 1-3°C) during the next week.
Anupam Kashyapi, head of weather, IMD, Pune, told TOI that although Maharashtra as a whole was likely to have normal minimum temperature from November 15 to 21, the northern parts of Madhya Maharashtra, including districts of Nandurbar, Dhule, Nashik as well as parts of Pune district, were likely to see above-normal minimum temperature by 1-3°C.
“From November 22 till 28, once again, only northern parts of the state, including Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar and parts of Jalgaon, are likely to see above-normal minimums with the rest of the state likely to witness normal minimum temperatures,” said Kashyapi.
He said the minimum temperature in these districts between November 22 and 28 might even be above normal by 3-5°C.
“Conversely, during this period, from November 15 to 28, the maximum temperature is likely to be marginally below normal — by about 1 to 3°C — except in the eastern parts of Vidarbha,” he said.
Once again, the above-normal trend in parts of the state would be a result of marginal moisture incursion and high humidity. This has also been one of the reasons why Pune city and parts of the state are currently witnessing above-normal night temperatures by 2 -4°C.
“The presence of an anti-cyclone conditions over the central India from November 15 to 28 is likely to block the flow of cold, dry northerly winds into Maharashtra. Also, during this period, the wind pattern will be west, southwesterly. These winds (west, southwesterly) come from the Bay of Bengal and are moist in nature. Hence, these winds are expected to drag some moisture into Maharashtra. This moisture would not cause clouding but it would increase the minimum temperatures,” Kashyapi explained.
The presence of moisture in the air during the night interrupts the passage of long wave radiation from the earth’s surface. This radiation is warm and its influence near the ground-level tends to increase the night temperature. If this radiation escapes into the atmosphere unhindered, then the night temperature drops.
Kashyapi said the presence of moisture or humidity also tends to increase the “heat index” or apparent temperature — a measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature.