Pune Hits 40°C Ten Times This Summer, Breaking Five-Year Record
Pune, 31st May 2024: This summer, Pune has experienced a significant rise in temperatures, with the mercury hitting or surpassing the 40°C mark on ten occasions, the highest in the past five years.
According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city recorded five days at 40°C or above in the summer of 2023. In the summers of 2020 and 2022, there were nine such scorching days, while 2021 saw none.
April emerged as the hottest month this summer, with temperatures reaching or exceeding 40°C on seven occasions. In May, there have been three such days so far. March, in contrast, was the mildest month, without any days reaching 40°C.
An IMD official explained the reasons behind this year’s extreme temperatures: “The two main factors were warm air advection and local conditions. Warm air moved into areas such as Madhya Maharashtra from hotter regions like West Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and North Gujarat. These were lower-level northwesterly winds carrying warm and dry air. The dryness of the air caused a rapid drop in relative humidity (RH), leading to higher daytime temperatures. Additionally, many days had clear skies in the morning and afternoon, resulting in more solar heating. Any cloud development typically occurred in the late afternoon, after the maximum temperature is usually recorded around 2:30 PM.”
While parts of Madhya Maharashtra are currently experiencing milder temperatures, contrasting sharply with northwest India, where temperatures are reaching a blistering 47-50°C, several locations in Madhya Maharashtra and Konkan are recording temperatures in the range of 35-36°C. This difference is primarily due to wind direction, with these regions receiving relatively cooler westerly winds from the Arabian Sea. However, this does not apply to Marathwada and Vidarbha, as these regions are distant from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
