IMD issues visibility threat alert for next 48 hours

While light rainfall, haze and cloudy weather gave Pune city a hill station-like feel on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a visibility threat alert for the next 48 hours and advised citizens to be careful while driving during this period.

As clouds started forming over Maharashtra Monday night, many areas in the state including Pune city experienced light rainfall throughout the day on Tuesday. There was a significant drop in daytime temperature, and dense fog and chilly weather were experienced in many areas due to a huge moisture incursion in the city. In many areas, humidity was recorded between 92 and 100%.

On Tuesday, Shivajinagar recorded 1.6 mm rainfall (the lowest rainfall recorded in the city). Whereas Magarpatta recorded the highest rainfall at 13 mm, followed by Chinchwad at 6 mm. Pashan recorded 2 mm rainfall. As per the IMD records, the city received rainfall in January after three years. Earlier, 37 mm of rainfall had been recorded in January 2021.

On Tuesday, there was a significant drop of 6 degrees Celsius in maximum temperature. As per the IMD data, Shivajinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 24.8 degrees Celsius. Earlier on December 8, Shivajinagar had recorded a maximum temperature of 30.2 degrees Celsius. In other areas too, there was a significant drop in maximum temperature and the temperature was recorded between 24 and 25 degrees Celsius.

While the daytime temperature dropped significantly, the minimum temperature in the city increased drastically and Shivajinagar recorded a temperature of 18.3 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Celsius above normal). Other areas of the city recorded a minimum temperature between 19 and 22 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, SAFAR-IITM recorded the air quality in the city as ‘moderate’.

Anupam Kashyapi, head of the weather forecasting division, IMD Pune, said, “A western disturbance that earlier lay in the northwestern part of the country is now moving towards the eastern part of the country. This western disturbance is bringing northerly cool winds along with moisture over the state. At the same time, south-southeasterly winds from the Bay of Bengal which are relatively warm are blowing over the west-central part of the country, and opposite wind interactions are taking place over Madhya Pradesh and the adjoining areas resulting in medium cloud formation over Maharashtra. There is another trough lying between south Gujarat and the northeast Arabian Sea. All these systems are influencing the weather conditions in Maharashtra, resulting in light to very light rainfall at isolated places across the state.”

The current situation of light rainfall with fog and cloudy weather is likely to continue for another 24 hours. From January 11, there will be a gradual reduction in cloudy weather. The city will experience clear skies from January 12. During this time, the northern cool winds will have an impact on the state, and minimum temperature will drop in many areas including Pune city. However, it is unlikely that Pune will experience single-digit temperatures till January 15.

AQI improves following rain

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research-Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (SAFAR-IITM) has recorded the city’s air quality in the “moderate category” on Tuesday. While seven of 10 areas recorded a “moderate” level of air quality with yellow warning, three stations, including Kothrud, Pashan, and Alandi, reported “satisfactory” air quality, according to the Air Quality Index (AQI).

Pashan recorded “moderate” level of air quality till the afternoon on Tuesday before improving to “satisfactory” by 7 pm due to light rains. As per the SAFAR-IITM forecast, other areas too are expected to experience a gradual reduction in pollutant levels gradually.

The particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10) pollutants in these areas were recorded below 100 micrograms per cubic metre. The highest PM 2.5 level was recorded at Nigdi as 176 micrograms per cubic metre.

AQI values between zero and 50 are termed “good”, 51 to 100 as “satisfactory”. Levels between 101 and 200 are considered “moderate” while those between 201 and 300 are categorised “poor”. Over 300 is categorised as “very poor” and a figure higher than 500 is considered “severe”.