The warmest February in the last four decades was recorded in 2010, when the lowest temperature was recorded at 12.7°C.
Last month was the fifth warmest February in Pune in the last four decades, according to the temperature data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Interestingly, all five warmest February months in the city since 1980 have been recorded after 2000. The warmest February in the last four decades was recorded in 2010, when the lowest night temperature was recorded at 12.7 degrees Celsius, followed by 2017 (12.2 degrees Celsius), 2003 (11.6 degrees Celsius) and 2007 (11.3 degrees Celsius).
This year, the minimum temperatures remained above 10 degrees Celsius on all days, with the coldest temperature recorded at 10.1 degrees Celsius on February 7. IMD data suggest December and January witnessed colder days over Maharashtra.
On the other hand, the coldest February, during 1980- 2020 period, over Pune was recorded in 2012, when mercury plummeted to 4.6 degrees Celsius.
This year, in fact, warming over the state too reached a new level, when two heatwaves hit Konkan belt. The maximum temperatures recorded over Vengurla, Ratnagiri, Mumbai and Dahanu hovered around 38 degrees Celsius during the last week of February.
Meanwhile, IMD has issued a warning of light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorm till Monday noon.
“Due to interactions between easterlies and westerlies over Vidarbha and neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, there will be light rainfall over Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra and parts of Marathwada and Vidarbha on Monday,” said Anupam Kashyapi, head, weather department, IMD, Pune.
Some isolated events of rainfall were reported from parts of Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada on Sunday evening.
The temperature in Madhya Maharashtra is expected to remain around 34- 35 degrees Celsius till March 6, whereas rest of the state will see a gradual rise in day temperatures, said IMD.
“Due to clear sky conditions, rainfall will cease after March 2 and temperatures will increase gradually,” added Kashyapi.