Pune Scorches at 42°C as Heatwave Intensifies Across India

India’s early summer is already peaking, with temperatures in multiple states breaching critical thresholds. Chandrapur in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region recorded a blistering 45.6°C, making it the hottest location in the country for the day and narrowly missing its all-time April high of 46.4°C set nearly three decades ago.

Meanwhile, Pune also sweltered under the heat, clocking a maximum of 42°C in Lohegaon and nearly 40°C in Shivajinagar, signalling an early onset of intense summer conditions. This sharp spike in temperatures, especially across central and eastern India, is attributed to hot and dry air masses drifting from north-western India—a classic precursor to the monsoon season. But what used to be a seasonal norm has now escalated into an urgent climatic concern. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued heatwave alerts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, warning of sustained high temperatures at least until April 26.

In Maharashtra alone, cities such as Solapur (43°C), Brahmapuri (45°C), Amravati (44.6°C), Akola (44.1°C), and Nagpur (43.6°C) continue to face extreme heat. This prolonged exposure is being driven by an anticyclonic circulation system in the mid-troposphere—a meteorological pattern that reduces cloud formation and intensifies surface temperatures. The climatic distress is not limited to Maharashtra. Jharsuguda in Odisha recorded 45.4°C, Sidhi in Madhya Pradesh touched 44.5°C, while Raipur, Satna, and Adilabad all hovered around 43–44°C. These readings are 2 to 4 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average, and many regions are reporting unusually warm night conditions and stifling humidity, particularly in Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and coastal Andhra Pradesh.
The implications of such temperature extremes extend beyond mere discomfort.

Heatwaves of this intensity carry serious public health risks, including dehydration, heat exhaustion, and fatal heatstroke. Urban areas, due to the heat island effect, are especially vulnerable. The lack of green cover, high vehicular emissions, and concrete-heavy development models in cities like Pune exacerbate the impact, making climate resilience a priority for urban planners and administrators. Public health experts are urging state governments to roll out immediate awareness drives, ensure availability of drinking water in public spaces, and encourage shifts to sustainable building materials that reflect rather than absorb heat. At the same time, this weather episode renews calls for robust climate action—urban heat management, zero-carbon city planning, and long-term investments in tree cover and eco-infrastructure.

As the heatwave stretches into the final week of April, communities across India are left navigating the stark reality of a warming planet. The heat is no longer a seasonal inconvenience—it is a pressing urban challenge, demanding sustainable and inclusive solutions rooted in science, policy, and public engagement.

Also Read : https://urbanacres.in/mumbai-thane-and-raigad-to-experience-hot-weather-imd-issues-yellow-alert/

Pune Scorches at 42°C as Heatwave Intensifies Across India