Unseasonal rain a big relief after prolonged heat spell in Pune

By: Rasad Kulkarni
PUNE: Citizens suffering from the scorching heat for the past several days got some respite following unseasonal rain and thundershowers in the city and its surrounding areas on Monday night and Tuesday evening.
Met officials are of the view that the same weather phenomenon would continue till Thursday. "Partly cloudy sky becoming generally cloudy towards afternoon and evening, thundery activity, lightning and light rain are very likely," stated the India Meteorology Department (IMD) forecast.
Pune recorded the state's lowest minimum temperature on Monday at 15.8oC. Tuesday's forecast stated that the fall in maximum temperatures was very likely over Central India and Maharashtra by 2-4°C during the next two days and rise by 2-4°C in the following three days.
The forecast added that the temperature in Pune for Wednesday was likely to go down till 31oC, while the minimum will be around 18oC. The maximum will increase to 32oC by Thursday and to 33oC by Saturday. The minimum, on the other hand, would go down to 17oC on Thursday and 16oC by Saturday, the forecast stated.
As per the weather warnings issued to farmers, rain is likely at isolated places over Maharashtra and Goa on Thursday. "Rain is very likely at isolated places over Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada. Dry weather is likely over Konkan-Goa and Vidarbha," the warning stated.
As per the IMD officials, local factors and weather conditions across the country are affecting the rainfall. Among the factors are a cyclonic circulation over south Rajasthan and neighbourhood. The trough from south Konkan to central parts of Chhattisgarh ran from Goa to north Chhattisgarh across north Interior Karnataka, Telangana and Vidarbha.
The local convective conditions also played a role with the increased heat and moisture contributing to the rain. These conditions would continue for at least the next couple of days.