Pune nights warmer than normal, highest average temperature in 3 years

PUNE: The city has experienced some of the warmest nights between May 11 and 17 in three years.
The average night-time temperature during the week in question was a warm 24.7°C in 2018, which is higher than the temperatures recorded during the same period in 2017 and 2016.


In fact, three of the warmest nights this month since 2016 — May 11, 12 and 17 — were recorded during this period.

All of last week, the city had witnessed unusually high night temperatures, which, when coupled with high humidity, made for uncomfortable weather for the city’s denizens. Each night, Pune recorded above-normal night temperature, which was between 24°C to 25.9°C.

The highest minimum temperature the last week was recorded on May 11 (25.9°C), followed by May 12 (25.3°C) and May 17 25°C).

According to the India Meteorology Department, the normal average minimum temperature for this period is 21.1°C.

Per IMD data, not once in the last week did the temperature drop to the normal of 21.1°C. During the same period last year and in 2016, the minimum temperature between May 11 and 17 hovered around the normal mark at least on a couple of nights.

A met department official told TOI that one of the main reasons for warm nights is cloudy skies. “There have been some chances of rain resulting from cloudy skies, but it rained in Pune only once on May 13. There were some drizzles on May 17. Meanwhile, nights have been cloudy, which caused the night temperatures to remain on the higher side. Cloudy skies during the night tend to trap outgoing terrestrial radiation from the earth’s surface, keeping the regions warm,” the official said.

He further explained that the city is currently not witnessing any hot-air advection or transfer, which would normally explain the higher temperatures. “High-speed winds tend to bring in hot air from warmer regions. However, this is not happening; so the only cause of higher night temperature is cloudy skies,” the official said.

The weather bureau has forecast rainfall in Madhya Maharashtra on May 18 and 19, which means Pune can also expect rainfall. However, there was no Pune-specific forecast where rainfall was concerned.

Meanwhile, the city saw some thunderstorm activity, with rainfall in certain parts, on Thursday evening. IMD officials said the rains forecast over the next couple of days could bring down the minimum temperatures to some extent. However, data on the amount of rainfall was not available.

Last Sunday, after a delay, pre-monsoon showers arrived in Pune. The city had received about 4mm of rainfall, which took the tally for this summer (the period from March 1) to 10mm. This was 18mm short of the normal for this period.