Pune weather is set to turn warmer and drier after the India Meteorological Department announced the complete withdrawal of the Southwest Monsoon from Maharashtra on October 8. The monsoon had already retreated from Pune and Mumbai on October 3, at least five days ahead of schedule and the earliest exit from these areas in more than 20 years.
The IMD said Pune and surrounding areas are likely to experience mostly dry conditions over the coming week, with maximum temperatures expected to rise gradually. The withdrawal line currently passes through Ranchi, Sundargarh, Bargarh, Bijapur, Hyderabad, Belagavi and Panjim.
Shivajinagar, Pune’s chief weather observatory, recorded a maximum temperature of 35.2 degrees Celsius on October 8. Two days earlier, the station recorded 35.7 degrees Celsius, the highest October temperature there since 2002. The maximum temperature at Shivajinagar is expected to touch 36 degrees in the coming days.
Temperatures were also high at other Pune stations. Pashan and Lohegaon recorded maximums of 35 degrees Celsius, while Chinchwad was marginally warmer. Magarpatta and the National Defence Academy recorded maximum temperatures of 33.5 degrees Celsius.
Minimum temperatures are also expected to rise across the city. Shivajinagar recorded a minimum of 21.1 degrees Celsius on October 8, but the figure could reach 23 degrees in Shivajinagar, Pashan, Lohegaon, Chinchwad and Lavale within a few days. Magarpatta is expected to record the warmest mornings, with minimum temperatures likely to reach 26 degrees Celsius in three to four days.
The wider region has also recorded above-normal temperatures. On the morning of October 8, the IMD reported maximum temperatures of 35.7 degrees Celsius in Satara, 36.3 degrees in Ahmednagar and 37.6 degrees in Solapur. These were 4.8, 4.5 and 4.8 degrees Celsius above normal, respectively. Mahabaleshwar remained significantly cooler, recording a maximum of 27.9 degrees and a minimum of 18.6 degrees.
No rainfall was recorded at these stations during the 24-hour period up to the morning of October 8. The IMD’s immediate outlook for Pune is for continued dry weather and gradually increasing temperatures during the coming week.
