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Over the last few days, Pune has been in the grip of a cold wave, recording single-digit minimum temperatures. On Saturday, the NDA area saw the mercury dipping to 8.1 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest place in the city. Nevertheless, the chill factor i.e. the actual extent of cold experienced, appears to be much more than the recorded temperature.
Anupam Kashyapi, former head of weather forecasting at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), linked this to Cyclone Fengal which is expected to make landfall by Saturday night.
Kashyapi said satellite images showed the cyclone formed an anti-clockwise circulation which resulted in the moisture-laden wind from the state being sucked out. This depletion of moisture, he explained, has contributed to the increased chill factor in the region.
“In moisture-laden air, the temperature feels warmer. Now that the moisture is depleted, it feels more cold than the recorded temperature,” he said. Clear skies have also helped the long-range radiation and cooled down the land.
In fact, the current temperature in Pune, according to IMD data, is not even among the 10 lowest recorded in the city. Pune has previously seen the mercury dip to 4.6 degrees Celsius on November 27, 1964, which is the lowest-ever recorded in the city. In the 1980s, the city recorded low temperatures of up to 6-7 degrees Celsius.
The cyclonic storm Fengal, which has developed over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to make landfall on Saturday night around 100 km from Chennai and Puducherry. This storm is expected to move westward and develop into a deep depression in the coming days. The IMD has forecast heavy rainfall in some areas in south India and advised fishermen against venturing out into the sea.
