Pune is experiencing an unusually hot October, with Shivajinagar recording 35.7°C and the India Meteorological Department forecasting maximum temperatures of 36–37°C over the next few days. The current spell is pushing the city closer to some of its highest October readings in the historical record.
Shivajinagar recorded a maximum of 35.7°C on Tuesday, the eighth-highest October maximum recorded at the station, followed by 35.2°C on Wednesday. Wednesday’s reading was only 0.3°C below the 35.5°C threshold separating the station’s top 10 October maximums.
Pune’s highest October temperature remains 37.8°C, recorded on October 8, 1899. The second-highest was 36.9°C on October 7, 2002, followed by 36.7°C on October 6 of the same year. If temperatures reach 37°C in the coming days, the current spell would rank among the city’s highest October heat events.
The India Meteorological Department said the temperatures are around 3°C to 4°C above normal for the period. “Day temperatures of 35°C to 36°C have been recorded in October in the past. But we can say that it is around 3° to 4° above normal, which puts it in the higher range,” S D Sanap, an IMD scientist, said.
Sanap said 36°C was already within reach after the 35.7°C reading, while a temperature of 37°C remained possible under the forecast. He added that forecasts carry an uncertainty of around plus or minus 2°C.
The hot conditions have been linked to the transition after the monsoon withdrawal, the absence of monsoon winds, an anticyclonic circulation over northwest India and clear afternoon skies. The circulation is bringing dry air into the region, while the lack of cloud cover is allowing temperatures to rise.
El Nino is also contributing to the broader weather pattern, according to the IMD. Sanap said higher post-monsoon temperatures and record-breaking readings had been observed during earlier El Nino years, including 2002, 2015 and 2023. Shivajinagar recorded October maximums of 36.9°C in 2002, 34.4°C in 2015 and 34.7°C in 2023.
The heat is being recorded across Pune rather than only at Shivajinagar. Wednesday’s maximum temperatures were 35.8°C at Lohegaon, 35.2°C at Chinchwad, 34.4°C at Pashan, 33.6°C at Magarpatta and 33.8°C at NDA. Lohegaon’s reading cannot be compared with a long-term October extreme because historical extreme-temperature data for that station is not available with the IMD.
The IMD’s forecast of 36–37°C over the next few days will determine whether Pune’s current October spell moves closer to the city’s historical temperature records.
