Heat Wave Like Conditions Over Pune, City Records Highest Temperature Over The Country

Pune, a sprawling city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, is catching up with spring season heat. The city airport at Lohegaon recorded a maximum day temperature of 39.6°C, just short by a whisker from the notional heat wave mark of 40°C. This temperature was the highest across the Indian region yesterday and closely followed by Kurnool in Rayalaseema, at 39.5°C. This also is the highest temperature for the city of this season and about 5.2°C above the normal range of mercury. Its neighborhood at Pune-Koregaon also breached 39°C to register a high of 39.2°C, about 7.2°C above the average. Such high temperatures are unlikely to be sustained on account of changing meteorological conditions up north in the plains.

Heat starts catching up with the city from March onwards. The month of April and the start of May are the hottest days, wherein the city breaches the 40°C mark frequently. After a hot and dry February, Pune is likely to experience a hotter-than-usual March, as per the forecast. The higher temperatures during the month will increase the heat wave days and intensify dry weather conditions for the city.

The weather conditions are likely to change over North India during this week. The clearance in the wake of active weather systems will increase the pressure gradient and lead to stronger winds at the surface and lower levels. The ripple effect of this change will trickle down and travel further up to parts of North Madhya Maharashtra and the Konkan region. The stronger winds from the land are likely to mitigate the heat component, and the rise of mercury will get arrested. Rather, the maximum temperatures are likely to drop marginally for the next about 3 days. With the arrival of a fresh weather system around 08th-09th Mar, the prevailing wind pattern will change yet again and become turbulent in the lower levels. After a dip over the next three days, the city can expect a rise from 08th March onwards.