Pune Records Record-High Nighttime Temperatures, IMD Issues Warning
Pune, 30th March 2024: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has flagged a notable surge in nighttime temperatures across Pune on March 29. Data sourced from Shivajinagar revealed a spike to 23.4 degrees Celsius, marking a substantial 6.1-degree Celsius deviation from the usual average. In locales like Koregaon Park and Wadgaon Sheri, temperatures hovered between 26 and 27 degrees Celsius.
The IMD Pune’s weather forecasting division attributed this uptick to heightened cloud cover since March 28, hindering the dissipation of longwave radiation and resulting in warmer nights. Concerns loom over the persistent escalation in maximum temperatures, signaling elevated heat levels.
According to a senior meteorologist at IMD Pune, a low-pressure belt spanning from north Tamil Nadu to southwest Madhya Pradesh is influencing weather patterns, impacting Maharashtra’s climate. Vidarbha region may encounter heatwave conditions within the next 24 hours, while certain areas in Marathwada anticipate light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms. The outlook for Pune suggests partly cloudy skies for the next 72 hours, with marginal fluctuations in minimum and maximum temperatures.
Pune city has been grappling with above-normal temperatures for approximately a week. March 27 witnessed a record-breaking maximum temperature of 39.6 degrees Celsius, with March 29 notching a maximum of 39.1 degrees Celsius. Notably, the minimum temperature also surged to record highs on March 29, registering a significant increase of 3 degrees Celsius within a span of 24 hours.
Across the district, temperatures ranged from 34.3 to 41.1 degrees Celsius. Akola recorded the state’s highest temperature at 42.6 degrees Celsius, while Mahabaleshwar marked the lowest at 21.4 degrees Celsius. Nighttime temperatures in several districts remained six degrees Celsius above normal, prompting a yellow alert (indicating light rainfall) for various regions by the IMD, including Pune.
