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The climate of Nashik district is characterised, by dryness
except in the south-west monsoon season. The year may be divided
into four seasons, The cold season from December to February followed
by the hot season from March to May and the south-west monsoon
season from June to September followed by the post-monsoon season
during October and November.
Temperature :
There are two meteorological observatories in the district, one
at Malegaon and the other at Nasik. The records of these two observatories
may be taken as representative of the climatic conditions in the
district. Malegaon is situated in the eastern part of the district
which is at a slightly lower elevation than the rest of the district.
The temperatures at this station are about 3 °C higher than
at Nasik in summer and about one or two degrees higher in the
cold season. In the' region of the western ghats the temperatures
may be much lower than at Nasik depending on the elevations. Temperatures
begin to increase rapidly from about the latter half of February,
May is the hottest month with the mean daily maximum temperature
at 40.6 °C (105.1 °F) at Malegaon and 37.4 °C (99.3
ºF) at Nasik. The heat is intense in the height of summer
and on some days the maximum temperatures may go above 46°
C in the eastern parts of the district with comparatively lower
elevations. The oppressiveness, during May and in June till the
onset of the south-west monsoon, is relieved on some days by afternoon
thundershowers, Night temperatures during June are slightly higher
than during May. With the onset of the south-west monsoon early
in June day temperatures decrease appreciably and the weather
throughout the southwest monsoon season is pleasant. Early
in October the south-west monsoon withdraws from the district
and the day temperatures increase by two or three degrees centigrade
on the average in October. However, night temperatures decrease
progressively after September. From November temperatures decrease
rapidly. December is the coldest month with the mean daily minimum
temperature at 11.3 °C (52.3 °F) at Malegaon and 10.2
°C (50.4 °F) at Nasik. The mean daily maximum temperature
in this month is 29.5 °C (85.1 °F) at Malegaon and 28.
3 °C (82.9 °F) at Nasik. In association with western disturbances
which, move across north India, in the cold season, cold waves
affect the district and minimum temperatures sometimes drop to
the freezing point of water and frosts occur causing damage to
crops.
The highest maximum temperature recorded was 46.7 °C (116.1
°F) on May 23, 1916, at Malegaon while it was 42.4 °C
(108.3 °F) on May 12,1960, at Nasik. The lowest minimum
temperature at Malegaon was 0.1 °C (30.9 °F) on February
1, 1929 and at Nasik it was 0.6 °C (33.1ºF) on January
7, 1945.
Humidity :
The air is very humid during the south-west monsoon season. In
the post-monsoon, cold and summer seasons the air is dry. The
summer season is the driest part of the year with relative humidities
between 20 and 25 per cent only in the afternoons.
Cloudiness :
The skies are heavily clouded to overcast during the south-west
monsoon season. In the rest of the year skies are mostly clear
or lightly clouded.
Winds
: Winds are generally light to moderate with some
strengthening in wind force during the latter part of the summer
season and in the south-west monsoon season. Winds are south-westerly
or westerly in the south-west monsoon season. In the post-monsoon
season winds are light and variable in direction in the mornings
and north-easterly or easterly in the afternoons. In the cold
season winds blow from directions between south-west and north-west
in the mornings and between north and east in the afternoons.
In the hot season winds are from directions between south-west
and north-west.
Special Weather Phenomena : Some of the storms
and depressions from the Arabian sea in the latter half of summer
and in the post-monsoon season affect the district and its neighbourhood
causing widespread rain. Thunderstorms occur in the latter half
of the hot season and in the post-monsoon season.
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