Pune is the prime city of Maharashtra. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the Western Ghats on the lee side. This sprawling city 'Queen of Deccan' with an elevation of 1850 feet was once the base of Peshwas of the Maratha Empire and now a memorial to 'Rashterpita' Mahatma Gandhi. The hill ranges surrounding the city both in the north and south make it a pleasant destination for tourists.
The city observes mild winters and pleasant monsoon season. However, spells of extreme heat during the month of April and May are very common. The temperature invariably touches/crosses 40 degrees mark and the respite follows only after the onset of Southwest Monsoon.
The second fortnight of April is much hotter than the first and the last week more often breaches the 40 degrees. Recent history shows that April 2019 was the hottest year for Pune in the last five years. Nearly half of the month was in excess of 40 degrees with the highest of 43 degrees on 28 April 2019. The average maximum temperature for the month was just short of 40 degrees mark to stay at 39.5 degrees. The following table shows data of Pune for the last five years:
Very clearly the data brings out that April 2015 has been the coolest and 2019 tops the list as extreme one. The year 2020 has started on a hot note with a temperature in excess of 38 degrees. These are likely to remain in the high 30s for the next week. The smell of Pre Monsoon showers looks very faint even thereafter. The sky may turn cloudy on 11th and 12th April with a chance of sprinkle in some areas.
