Pune: After sweating it out in unusually hot and humid weather conditions for days, Pune can now expect some respite in the form of pre-monsoon showers. The India Meteorological Department (IMD), which said the monsoon’s progress was on course, predicted rains in the city on Tuesday
Over the past few days, the day temperatures in the city have been higher than normal by almost 4°C. However, pre-monsoon rains were recorded in isolated places in south Madhya Maharashtra and parts of Konkan and Goa. Meteorologists expect these rains to now move northward, covering places including Pune. Isolated rains are also expected in Madhya Maharashtra and Konkan-Goa till June 1. Marathwada and Vidarbha, meanwhile, are expected to get rains around May 30.
On Sunday, the maximum temperatures recorded at Shivajinagar and Lohegaon were 39.6°C and 40.5°C respectively. Even the humidity levels were above normal. The mercury dropped slightly on Monday, with 37°C being the real-feel temperature in the city.
AK Srivastava, the head of climate monitoring and analysis group at IMD, said during the monsoon’s onset, moisture-laden oceanic air-mass tends to enter other regions. “This moist air comes from the south, where the monsoon is getting ready to make a landfall. As the moist air moves towards our state, it converges with the dry air — creating ideal conditions for thundershowers,” said Srivastava. Therefore, Pune will experience pre-monsoon showers over the next few days as the monsoon sets in over southern India.
As per private weather forecaster Skymet Weather Services, a low-pressure area has been developing in the southeast Arabian Sea. Moreover, an upper air trough is prevailing over Madhya Maharashtra. “Thanks to these weather systems, humid winds have been reaching parts of Maharashtra, making conditions conducive for thundershowers over Pune,” a source said.
