In keeping with steady dip in mercury, PuneтАЩs Shivajinagar on Sunday recorded a minimum temperature of 12.6 degree Celsius тАУ 3.2 degrees below normal.
On the day, Pune was the coolest place in the state, close to Mandla (east Madhya Pradesh) and Sikar (Rajasthan), which recorded 11 degrees Celsius each to remain the countryтАЩs coldest places in plains.
Several places in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab reported below normal night temperatures.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune, has said that similar cool conditions will prevail over the city and neighbouring areas the week ahead. The night temperatures during the next few days will continue to hover between 12 and 14 degree Celsius.
The fall in the minimum temperature is mainly due to sunny and clear sky conditions, officials said. There is appropriate solar heating during the day and when the same escapes, it causes cooling during night and early morning hours, they added.
Overall, dry weather conditions will continue to prevail over Maharashtra in the coming days as winter season approaches. The minimum temperatures have remained 1.6 to 3 degree Celsius below normal over several places in Marathwada.
Some other locations in Maharashtra where the temperatures remained below normal include Aurangabad (13 degrees), Nashik (13.3 degrees), Mahabaleshwar (13.8 degrees), Satara (14.3 degrees) and Nagpur (14.8 degrees).
The Met department also stated that the Northeast monsoon had further advanced into remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, Mahe, south interior Karnataka and Rayalaseema. Enhanced rainfall is likely over these regions the week ahead.
